Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Berkeley, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 13 of 22 categories
Berkeley
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,716 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
168⚠ High
Population
121,385
Waco
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
140,545 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Berkeley, CA
Pros
Households earn $57,295 more per year on average
More college-educated — 73.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 95°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,280,300
Higher rents — median is $2,067/mo
Cost of living runs 27% higher than Waco
Violent crime (638.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $1106k less ($174,100 vs $1,280,300)
Rent averages $1029/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,067)
33% less violent crime than Berkeley
27% cheaper overall cost of living than Berkeley
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.5%)
Cons
Median income trails Berkeley by $57,295/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Berkeley
Median Income
$57,295
$104,716 vs $47,421/yr
Waco
Cost of Living
27% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Violent Crime
33% lower
425.9 vs 638.8 per 100k
Waco
Median Home Value
$1106k less
$174,100 vs $1,280,300
Waco
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.5% unemployment
Waco
Summer Heat
20.3°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Berkeley, CA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,280,300⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,067⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,716 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 200⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 168⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 249⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.8% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Berkeley Unified | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.9°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.1" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,385 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.5 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.3% | 47.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Berkeley's cost of living index is 118.2 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 27% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Waco leads 13 of 22 categories. Berkeley wins 9 and Waco wins 13. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Berkeley to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,280,300 vs $174,100 median home), income ($104,716 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Berkeley, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,486 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.