Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hoover, AL
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Hoover leads 13 of 23 categories
Hoover
Alabama
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6
Median Household Income
$101,765 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
21 ✓ Safer
Population
91,995
Waco
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
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.
Hoover, AL
Pros
Households earn $54,344 more per year on average
82% less violent crime than Waco
More college-educated — 60.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.9%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $366,200
Higher rents — median is $1,352/mo
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $192k less ($174,100 vs $366,200)
Rent averages $314/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,352)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails Hoover by $54,344/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Hoover
Median Income
$54,344
$101,765 vs $47,421/yr
Hoover
Violent Crime
82% lower
78.0 vs 425.9 per 100k
Hoover
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.9% vs 4.5% unemployment
Waco
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 92.6 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$192k less
$174,100 vs $366,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hoover, AL | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $366,200⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,352⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $101,765 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.0 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (122) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 60.2% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 96.7% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hoover City | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.8°F | 58.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.2°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 59.0" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,995 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.5% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 16.1% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hoover's cost of living index is 92.6 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Hoover leads 13 of 23 categories. Hoover wins 13 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 Hoover to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($366,200 vs $174,100 median home), income ($101,765 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hoover, AL and Waco, TX are about 618 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.