Killeen vs Waco
Killeen, Texas versus Waco, Texas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Killeen and Waco score about the same overall (48 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Killeen | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $57k | $47k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $44k |
| Home Value | $175k | $174k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.76% | 1.72% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.20% | 8.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.11% | 9.00% |
| Unemployment | 10.9% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 49°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 84°F | 85°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.8 in | 38.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 266 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 84 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 41.7 | 58.8 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 42.9 | 53.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1836/100k | 2285/100k |
| Property Crime | 1747/100k | 3238/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 153,708 | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 29.7 | 28.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.69 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+24 |
| White (%) | 26.2% | 44.9% |
| Black (%) | 35.0% | 19.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 27.7% | 30.4% |
| Asian (%) | 3.8% | 1.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.2% | 2.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 7.2/20 | 7.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 59 mi | 92 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.9% | 84.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 5.79 | 15.16 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Killeen or Waco more affordable?
- Waco has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Killeen's $44k and Waco's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Killeen versus $1k in Waco.
- Is Killeen or Waco safer?
- Killeen has the lower violent crime rate. Killeen reports 1836/100k and Waco reports 2285/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Killeen or Waco?
- The median home value is $175k in Killeen and $174k in Waco, so homes are more affordable in Waco.