Waco vs Temple
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $221,700 in Waco and $239,000 in Temple.
- Households earn more in Temple ($68,204 vs $54,365 median).
- Temple is growing faster: +19.7% since 2020 vs +5.5%.
Side by side
| Waco, TX | Temple, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 147,788 | 98,412 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.5% | +19.7% |
| People per square mile | 1,624 | 1,347 |
| Median age | 29.7 | 33.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29% | 31% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $54,365 | $68,204 |
| Median home value | $221,700 | $239,000 |
| Home value to income | 4.1× | 3.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,165 | $1,231 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.6 | 91.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 83.5 | 77.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,400 | $68,300 |
| Homeowners | 49% | 52% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.7 | 21.0 |
| Work from home | 10% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.6% | 6.6% |
| Poverty rate | 23.1% | 16% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 59° / 36° | 60° / 36° |
| July high / low | 97° / 74° | 95° / 72° |
| Precipitation per year | 36 in | 37 in |
| Snowfall per year | 1 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 115 | 118 |
| Nights below freezing | 34 | 33 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 91.2 | 91.1 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 47% | 66% |
| Home prices, past year | +1% | +1.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +36.7% | +39.3% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Waco: March to May and October to November. Temple: March to April and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Waco weather by month and Temple weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,400 in Waco and $68,300 in Temple. Moving from Waco to Temple, you would need about $73,900 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Waco and Temple
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Waco and Temple.
Which would you pick?
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