Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orange, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Orange leads 13 of 22 categories
Orange
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,335 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
138,728
Waco
Texas
9
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.
Orange, CA
Pros
Households earn $61,914 more per year on average
47% less violent crime than Waco
Violent crime is well below the national average (226.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 95°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 59°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $848,200
Higher rents — median is $2,148/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Waco
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $674k less ($174,100 vs $848,200)
Rent averages $1110/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,148)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Orange
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orange by $61,914/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Orange
Median Income
$61,914
$109,335 vs $47,421/yr
Orange
Violent Crime
47% lower
226.1 vs 425.9 per 100k
Waco
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$674k less
$174,100 vs $848,200
Waco
Summer Heat
12.0°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orange, CA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $848,200⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,148⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,335 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.5 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ 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 (98) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Orange Unified | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 138,728 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.9% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange'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, Orange leads 13 of 22 categories. Orange wins 13 and Waco wins 9. 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 Orange to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($848,200 vs $174,100 median home), income ($109,335 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orange, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,210 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.