Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Braunfels, TX
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 New Braunfels leads 15 of 22 categories
New Braunfels
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7
Median Household Income
$85,827 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41 ✓ Safer
Population
92,993
Waco
Texas
7
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.
New Braunfels, TX
Pros
Households earn $38,406 more per year on average
63% less violent crime than Waco
Violent crime is well below the national average (156.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 38.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,426/mo
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Waco
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $117k less ($174,100 vs $290,800)
Rent averages $388/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,426)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than New Braunfels
Cons
Median income trails New Braunfels by $38,406/yr
Higher unemployment (4.5% vs 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
New Braunfels
Median Income
$38,406
$85,827 vs $47,421/yr
New Braunfels
Violent Crime
63% lower
156.4 vs 425.9 per 100k
New Braunfels
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.5% unemployment
Waco
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 93.7 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$117k less
$174,100 vs $290,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Braunfels, TX | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.7 | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $290,800 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,426⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,827 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.0% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COMAL ISD | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.4°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.4" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,993 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.8% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Braunfels's cost of living index is 93.7 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, New Braunfels leads 15 of 22 categories. New Braunfels wins 15 and Waco wins 7. 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 New Braunfels to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($290,800 vs $174,100 median home), income ($85,827 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Braunfels, TX and Waco, TX are about 140 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.