Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Francisco, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 12 of 22 categories
San Francisco
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
117.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,689 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
157⚠ High
Population
851,036 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
12
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.
San Francisco, CA
Pros
Households earn $89,268 more per year on average
More college-educated — 59.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 95°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,348,700
Higher rents — median is $2,316/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Waco
Violent crime (596.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $1175k less ($174,100 vs $1,348,700)
Rent averages $1278/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,316)
29% less violent crime than San Francisco
26% cheaper overall cost of living than San Francisco
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.5%)
Cons
Median income trails San Francisco by $89,268/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
San Francisco
Median Income
$89,268
$136,689 vs $47,421/yr
Waco
Cost of Living
26% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 117.1 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Violent Crime
29% lower
425.9 vs 596.5 per 100k
Waco
Median Home Value
$1175k less
$174,100 vs $1,348,700
Waco
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.4% unemployment
Waco
Summer Heat
32.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 117.1⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,348,700⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,316⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,689 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.8 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.4% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 169⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 157⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 187⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.0:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.8% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Francisco Unified | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.0" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 851,036 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 39.3 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.6% | 47.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.7% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Francisco's cost of living index is 117.1 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Waco leads 12 of 22 categories. San Francisco wins 10 and Waco wins 12. 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 San Francisco to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,348,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($136,689 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Francisco, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,524 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.