Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 College Station leads 12 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451
Waco
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
140,545 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
60% less violent crime than Waco
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $4,976 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.7)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $305,800
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $132k less ($174,100 vs $305,800)
Rent averages $91/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,129)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails College Station by $4,976/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Median Income
$4,976
$52,397 vs $47,421/yr
College Station
Violent Crime
60% lower
170.5 vs 425.9 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 90.7 on the COL index
Waco
Median Home Value
$132k less
$174,100 vs $305,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 90.8 |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 17.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 94.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 28.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 47.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 12.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
College Station is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 12 of 22 categories. College Station wins 12 and Waco wins 10. 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 College Station to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $174,100 median home), income ($52,397 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Waco, TX are about 86 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.