Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lubbock, TX
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 13 of 23 categories
Lubbock
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.9
Median Household Income
$58,734 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
216⚠ High
Population
258,190 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
13
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.
Lubbock, TX
Pros
Households earn $11,313 more per year on average
More college-educated — 34.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.9)
Cons
Violent crime (821.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2628.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Waco, TX
Pros
48% less violent crime than Lubbock
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails Lubbock by $11,313/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Lubbock
Median Income
$11,313
$58,734 vs $47,421/yr
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 90.9 on the COL index
Waco
Violent Crime
48% lower
425.9 vs 821.0 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lubbock, TX | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.9 | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $181,600 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,093 | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,734 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.1 min ✓ Shorter | 17.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 5.9% | 7.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 180⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 216⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 125⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.2% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.6% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LUBBOCK ISD | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.0°F | 58.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.7°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.5" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 7.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 258,190 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 30.0 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.0% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 12.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lubbock's cost of living index is 90.9 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Waco leads 13 of 23 categories. Lubbock wins 10 and Waco wins 13. 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 Lubbock to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($181,600 vs $174,100 median home), income ($58,734 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lubbock, TX and Waco, TX are about 307 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.