Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Corona, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Corona leads 13 of 22 categories
Corona
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$103,727 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
66 ✓ Safer
Population
158,346 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
140,545
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Corona, CA
Pros
Households earn $56,306 more per year on average
41% less violent crime than Waco
Violent crime is well below the national average (249.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 59°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,200
Higher rents — median is $2,020/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Waco
Longer commutes — 35.3 min average each way
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $450k less ($174,100 vs $624,200)
Rent averages $982/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,020)
Commutes run 18 min shorter each way
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Corona
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Corona by $56,306/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Corona
Median Income
$56,306
$103,727 vs $47,421/yr
Corona
Violent Crime
41% lower
249.4 vs 425.9 per 100k
Waco
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$450k less
$174,100 vs $624,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Corona, CA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $624,200⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,020⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,727 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.3 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 82 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 30.5% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 85.8% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Corona-Norco Unified | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.5°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.7°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.3" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 158,346 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 35.9 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.1% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 11.0% | 12.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Corona's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Corona leads 13 of 22 categories. Corona wins 13 and Waco wins 9. 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 Corona to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($624,200 vs $174,100 median home), income ($103,727 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Corona, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,193 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.