Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boston, MA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 14 of 23 categories
Boston
Massachusetts
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$89,212 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
165⚠ High
Population
665,945 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
140,545
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boston, MA
Pros
Households earn $41,791 more per year on average
More college-educated — 53.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 95°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $684,900
Higher rents — median is $1,981/mo
Violent crime (627.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Waco
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $511k less ($174,100 vs $684,900)
Rent averages $943/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,981)
32% less violent crime than Boston
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Boston
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (4.5%)
Cons
Median income trails Boston by $41,791/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Boston
Median Income
$41,791
$89,212 vs $47,421/yr
Waco
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Violent Crime
32% lower
425.9 vs 627.9 per 100k
Waco
Median Home Value
$511k less
$174,100 vs $684,900
Waco
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.6% unemployment
Waco
Summer Heat
12.4°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 82.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boston, MA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $684,900⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,981⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $89,212 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.6 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 165⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (122) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.4% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.4% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boston | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.8°F | 58.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 665,945 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 32.9 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.8% | 47.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.7% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 12.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boston's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Waco leads 14 of 23 categories. Boston wins 9 and Waco wins 14. 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 Boston to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($684,900 vs $174,100 median home), income ($89,212 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boston, MA and Waco, TX are about 1,617 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.