Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Orem, UT
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Orem leads 12 of 23 categories
Orem
Utah
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1
Median Household Income
$77,568 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
46 ✓ Safer
Population
97,100
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.
Orem, UT
Pros
Households earn $30,147 more per year on average
59% less violent crime than Waco
Violent crime is well below the national average (174.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 42.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $392,900
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Waco
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $219k less ($174,100 vs $392,900)
Rent averages $252/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,290)
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 38°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Orem
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Orem by $30,147/yr
Higher unemployment (4.5% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Orem
Median Income
$30,147
$77,568 vs $47,421/yr
Orem
Violent Crime
59% lower
174.5 vs 425.9 per 100k
Orem
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.5% unemployment
Waco
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 97.1 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$219k less
$174,100 vs $392,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Orem, UT | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.1 | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $392,900⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,290 | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $77,568 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.7 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.5% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 46 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.2% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 93.9% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Alpine District | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.5°F | 58.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.2" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 44.9" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,100 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 26.8 | 28.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.9% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 12.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Orem's cost of living index is 97.1 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Orem leads 12 of 23 categories. Orem 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 Orem to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($392,900 vs $174,100 median home), income ($77,568 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Orem, UT and Waco, TX are about 1,009 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.