Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Midland, TX
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Midland leads 12 of 23 categories
Midland
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8
Median Household Income
$90,448 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
96 ✓ Safer
Population
132,490
Waco
Texas
11
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.
Midland, TX
Pros
Households earn $43,027 more per year on average
14% less violent crime than Waco
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (3.2%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.8)
More college-educated — 31.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,400/mo
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Waco
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $107k less ($174,100 vs $280,700)
Rent averages $362/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,400)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Midland
Cons
Median income trails Midland by $43,027/yr
Higher unemployment (4.5% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Midland
Median Income
$43,027
$90,448 vs $47,421/yr
Midland
Violent Crime
14% lower
364.9 vs 425.9 per 100k
Midland
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
3.2% vs 4.5% unemployment
Waco
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 94.8 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$107k less
$174,100 vs $280,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Midland, TX | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.8 | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $280,700 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,400⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $90,448 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 4.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 5.6% | 7.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 88 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 77 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (83) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.8:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 84.9% | 85.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MIDLAND ISD | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.3°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.3°F ✓ Warmer | 94.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.9" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 132,490 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.4 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.9% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.5% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 12.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Midland's cost of living index is 94.8 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Midland leads 12 of 23 categories. Midland wins 12 and Waco wins 11. 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 Midland to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($280,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($90,448 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Midland, TX and Waco, TX are about 291 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.