Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Concord, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 14 of 22 categories
Concord
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$107,789 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
128⚠ High
Population
125,007
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 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Concord, CA
Pros
Households earn $60,368 more per year on average
More college-educated — 36.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 95°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $706,700
Higher rents — median is $2,137/mo
Cost of living runs 27% higher than Waco
Violent crime (484.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $533k less ($174,100 vs $706,700)
Rent averages $1099/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,137)
27% cheaper overall cost of living than Concord
12% less violent crime than Concord
Commutes run 16 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails Concord by $60,368/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Concord
Median Income
$60,368
$107,789 vs $47,421/yr
Waco
Cost of Living
27% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 118.2 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Violent Crime
12% lower
425.9 vs 484.6 per 100k
Waco
Median Home Value
$533k less
$174,100 vs $706,700
Waco
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 88.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Concord, CA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $706,700⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,137⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $107,789 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.6 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.7% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 131⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 128⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 137⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.2:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.7% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.6% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mt. Diablo Unified | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.6°F | 58.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.9" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 125,007 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.8 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.1% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Concord'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 14 of 22 categories. Concord wins 8 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 Concord to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($706,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($107,789 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Concord, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,471 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.