Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Plano, TX
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Plano leads 14 of 23 categories
Plano
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
140,545
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Plano, TX
Pros
Households earn $58,258 more per year on average
64% less violent crime than Waco
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $412,500
Higher rents — median is $1,699/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Waco
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $238k less ($174,100 vs $412,500)
Rent averages $661/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,699)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Plano
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $58,258/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Plano
Median Income
$58,258
$105,679 vs $47,421/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
64% lower
151.6 vs 425.9 per 100k
Waco
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$238k less
$174,100 vs $412,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Plano, TX | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $412,500⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,699⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $105,679 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.8 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.3% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 52 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (134) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.4% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PLANO ISD | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 58.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,948 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 38.9 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Plano's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 14 of 23 categories. Plano wins 14 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 Plano to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($412,500 vs $174,100 median home), income ($105,679 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Plano, TX and Waco, TX are about 106 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.