Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Montgomery, AL
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Montgomery
Alabama
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$54,166 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
199,819 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
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.
Montgomery, AL
Pros
Homes cost $32k less ($141,900 vs $174,100)
Households earn $6,745 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
More college-educated — 33.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (594.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 4.5%)
Waco, TX
Pros
28% less violent crime than Montgomery
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (4.5%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Montgomery by $6,745/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Montgomery
Median Income
$6,745
$54,166 vs $47,421/yr
Montgomery
Median Home Value
$32k less
$141,900 vs $174,100
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 90.8 on the COL index
Waco
Violent Crime
28% lower
425.9 vs 594.6 per 100k
Waco
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
4.5% vs 7.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Montgomery, AL | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 | 90.8 |
| Median Home Value | $141,900 ✓ Lower | $174,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,026 ✓ Lower | $1,038 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,166 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.3% | 7.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 136⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 156⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 106⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.1% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 87.6% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.6" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 199,819 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.5% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.7% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 15.3% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Montgomery's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Montgomery wins 11 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 Montgomery to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($141,900 vs $174,100 median home), income ($54,166 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Montgomery, AL and Waco, TX are about 642 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.