Population 126,280 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Waco
Household size in Waco
| Period | Waco | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.64 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.70 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
At 2.62 people per household, Waco sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in Texas overall, where it has 2.83 people. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Waco
| Period | Waco | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.4 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.9 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.0 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.9 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.5 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Waco is young: half of its residents are under 32.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults and children. The median age has crept up from 32.4 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Waco
| Period | Waco | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.1% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Waco: 14.9% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 2.4 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Waco
Renters in Waco
| Period | Waco | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.8% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 53.5% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.4% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 51.2% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Waco rent: 51.2% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among owners, 55.3% have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 0.6 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Waco
| Period | Waco | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Waco than nationally: 13.3%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Waco
| Period | Waco | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +8 | +6 |
The typical home in Waco was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in Texas overall, where the median home dates to 1992. The median year built has moved up from 1969 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Waco
| Period | Waco | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $743 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $781 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $895 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,224 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$481 | +$639 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Waco costs $1,224 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $481 a month since 2006–10, up 65%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 35.0% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Waco
Bachelor's degrees in Waco
| Period | Waco | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.7% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.9% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.3% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.2% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a quarter of adults 25 and older in Waco (26.2%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 5.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Waco
| Period | Waco | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.2% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.1% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.0% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.0% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.8 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in seven adults in Waco never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The picture is much the same across Texas. The share with a diploma has risen 10.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Waco
| Period | Waco | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Waco runs below the national rate: 4.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 4.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Waco compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waco | 2.62 | 32.9 | 14.9% | 51.2% | 13.3% | 1977 | $1,224 | 26.2% | 85.0% | 4.7% |
| Beverly Hills | 2.71 | 37.6 | 15.7% | 28.7% | 12.6% | 1959 | $993 | 12.5% | 71.3% | 2.6% |
| Bellmead | 2.89 | 36.0 | 14.3% | 37.3% | 8.6% | 1981 | $1,002 | 14.6% | 69.1% | 3.9% |
| Lacy-Lakeview | 2.85 | 35.0 | 11.2% | 53.5% | 11.6% | 1981 | $928 | 15.6% | 83.0% | 4.9% |
| Woodway | 2.60 | 39.9 | 9.3% | 33.5% | 7.3% | 1992 | $1,602 | 47.4% | 94.8% | 2.9% |
| Robinson | 3.00 | 37.3 | 15.5% | 21.1% | 9.2% | 1993 | $1,350 | 24.5% | 91.4% | 6.0% |
| Hewitt | 2.69 | 39.3 | 8.5% | 28.5% | 3.3% | 1997 | $1,781 | 41.5% | 95.4% | 4.5% |
| Elm Mott | 2.70 | 39.6 | 6.1% | 18.3% | 4.8% | 1988 | $909 | 21.8% | 90.8% | 3.0% |
| Lorena | 2.78 | 38.7 | 9.5% | 21.8% | 5.3% | 1998 | $1,469 | 40.6% | 95.9% | 4.2% |
| Ocee | 2.77 | 42.0 | 6.9% | 6.7% | 9.8% | 1992 | $1,461 | 35.8% | 96.4% | 2.3% |
| Hallsburg | 2.68 | 40.4 | 8.3% | 10.8% | 14.1% | 1991 | $859 | 20.6% | 89.4% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Waurika, OK · Waverly, FL · Wenona, IL · Waveland, IN · Welcome, WA · Wells, TX · Watterson Park, KY · Wells, VT · Webb Lake, WI · Webster, ND
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Waco. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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