Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 15 of 22 categories
Long Beach
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
140,545
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $31,574 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 95°F
More college-educated — 33.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 59°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $709,700
Higher rents — median is $1,698/mo
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Waco
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $536k less ($174,100 vs $709,700)
Rent averages $660/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,698)
37% less violent crime than Long Beach
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Long Beach
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (4.5%)
Cons
Median income trails Long Beach by $31,574/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Long Beach
Median Income
$31,574
$78,995 vs $47,421/yr
Waco
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Violent Crime
37% lower
425.9 vs 676.4 per 100k
Waco
Median Home Value
$536k less
$174,100 vs $709,700
Waco
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.6% unemployment
Waco
Summer Heat
13.1°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 81.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long 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 | $709,700⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 85.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 47.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 12.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long 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, Waco leads 15 of 22 categories. Long Beach wins 7 and Waco wins 15. 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 Long Beach to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($78,995 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,227 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.