Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Riverside, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 13 of 22 categories
Riverside
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,448 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High
Population
316,076 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
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.
Riverside, CA
Pros
Households earn $36,027 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 59°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $485,500
Higher rents — median is $1,711/mo
Violent crime (589.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Waco
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $311k less ($174,100 vs $485,500)
Rent averages $673/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,711)
28% less violent crime than Riverside
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Riverside
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (4.5%)
Cons
Median income trails Riverside by $36,027/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Riverside
Median Income
$36,027
$83,448 vs $47,421/yr
Waco
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Violent Crime
28% lower
425.9 vs 589.7 per 100k
Waco
Median Home Value
$311k less
$174,100 vs $485,500
Waco
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Riverside, CA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $485,500⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,711⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,448 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.3 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 147⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 155⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 135⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (88) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.3:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.4% | 27.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 82.6% | 85.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Riverside Unified | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.3°F ✓ Warmer | 94.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.0" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 316,076 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 32.4 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.5% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 12.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Riverside's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Waco leads 13 of 22 categories. Riverside wins 9 and Waco wins 13. 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 Riverside to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($485,500 vs $174,100 median home), income ($83,448 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Riverside, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,183 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.