Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Jose, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
San Jose
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,010 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
160⚠ High
Population
1,001,176 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
11
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 Jose, CA
Pros
Households earn $88,589 more per year on average
More college-educated — 46.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 95°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,149,600
Higher rents — median is $2,526/mo
Violent crime (606.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Waco
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $976k less ($174,100 vs $1,149,600)
Rent averages $1488/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,526)
30% less violent crime than San Jose
22% cheaper overall cost of living than San Jose
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails San Jose by $88,589/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
San Jose
Median Income
$88,589
$136,010 vs $47,421/yr
Waco
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Violent Crime
30% lower
425.9 vs 606.8 per 100k
Waco
Median Home Value
$976k less
$174,100 vs $1,149,600
Waco
Summer Heat
12.3°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 82.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Jose, CA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,149,600⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,526⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,010 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.8 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.3% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 145⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 160⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.8:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.0% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 85.5% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Jose Unified | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.8" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,001,176 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 37.8 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.8% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Jose's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. San Jose wins 11 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 San Jose to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,149,600 vs $174,100 median home), income ($136,010 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Jose, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,453 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.