Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 14 of 22 categories
Huntington Beach
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
8
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.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $67,326 more per year on average
51% less violent crime than Waco
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 95°F
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 59°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Waco
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $803k less ($174,100 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1280/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,318)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.5%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $67,326/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$67,326
$114,747 vs $47,421/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
51% lower
207.3 vs 425.9 per 100k
Waco
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$803k less
$174,100 vs $976,800
Waco
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.4% unemployment
Waco
Summer Heat
15.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 14 of 22 categories. Huntington Beach wins 14 and Waco wins 8. 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 Huntington Beach to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $174,100 median home), income ($114,747 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,218 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.