Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Tallahassee, FL
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 12 of 19 categories
Tallahassee
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.3
Median Household Income
$52,899 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,259 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
12
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.
Tallahassee, FL
Pros
More college-educated — 49.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $5,478 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 59°F
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 4.5%)
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Waco
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $82k less ($174,100 vs $256,400)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (4.5%)
Rent averages $127/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,165)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Tallahassee
Cons
Median income trails Tallahassee by $5,478/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Tallahassee
Median Income
$5,478
$52,899 vs $47,421/yr
Waco
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 95.3 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$82k less
$174,100 vs $256,400
Waco
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Tallahassee, FL | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.3 | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $256,400 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,165 | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,899 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.1:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 49.9% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 93.2% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEON | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.9°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.1°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.3" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,259 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 27.6 | 28.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.8% | 47.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.2% | 12.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Tallahassee's cost of living index is 95.3 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Waco leads 12 of 19 categories. Tallahassee wins 7 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 Tallahassee to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($256,400 vs $174,100 median home), income ($52,899 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Tallahassee, FL and Waco, TX are about 770 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.