Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chattanooga, TN
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 13 of 22 categories
Chattanooga
Tennessee
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8
Median Household Income
$57,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
217⚠ High
Population
181,288 ✓ Larger
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
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chattanooga, TN
Pros
Households earn $10,282 more per year on average
More college-educated — 34.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.8)
Cons
Violent crime (823.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3942.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Waco
Waco, TX
Pros
48% less violent crime than Chattanooga
Homes cost $56k less ($174,100 vs $230,500)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.5%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 51°F
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Chattanooga
Cons
Median income trails Chattanooga by $10,282/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Chattanooga
Median Income
$10,282
$57,703 vs $47,421/yr
Waco
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 92.8 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Violent Crime
48% lower
425.9 vs 823.7 per 100k
Waco
Median Home Value
$56k less
$174,100 vs $230,500
Waco
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.1% unemployment
Waco
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 90.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chattanooga, TN | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.8 | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $230,500 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,066 | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $57,703 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.2 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.4% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 205⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 217⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 188⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.1% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 89.0% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hamilton County | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.0°F | 58.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.0" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 181,288 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 37.0 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.4% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.2% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chattanooga's cost of living index is 92.8 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Waco leads 13 of 22 categories. Chattanooga 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 Chattanooga to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($230,500 vs $174,100 median home), income ($57,703 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chattanooga, TN and Waco, TX are about 730 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.