Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Stamford, CT
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 12 of 23 categories
Stamford
Connecticut
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$100,718 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41 ✓ Safer
Population
135,413
Waco
Texas
12
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.
Stamford, CT
Pros
Households earn $53,297 more per year on average
63% less violent crime than Waco
Violent crime is well below the national average (157.5 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 50.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 95°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $584,700
Higher rents — median is $2,129/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Waco
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.5%)
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $411k less ($174,100 vs $584,700)
Rent averages $1091/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,129)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Stamford
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 38°F
Cons
Median income trails Stamford by $53,297/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Stamford
Median Income
$53,297
$100,718 vs $47,421/yr
Stamford
Violent Crime
63% lower
157.5 vs 425.9 per 100k
Waco
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 106.5 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$411k less
$174,100 vs $584,700
Waco
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.5% unemployment
Waco
Summer Heat
9.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 84.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Stamford, CT | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.5⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $584,700⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,129⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $100,718 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.8 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.4% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Stamford School District | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.0°F | 58.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.9" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 135,413 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.6 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 46.0% | 47.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.2% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.3% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Stamford's cost of living index is 106.5 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Waco leads 12 of 23 categories. Stamford wins 11 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 Stamford to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($584,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($100,718 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Stamford, CT and Waco, TX are about 1,465 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.