Cost of living in Waco, TX — Housing, Rent & Index

All states·Texas·Waco·Cost of living

Housing, rent, and a comparison to the US average.

$196,465
Median home value
$1,333/mo
Median rent
55
Cost index (US=100)
-2.2%
Home YoY change

The median home value in Waco, TX is $196,465 as of 2026-04. That places Waco below the US average for housing cost, with a cost index of approximately 55 versus a national baseline of 100.

Over the past 12 months, the median home value in Waco has fallen 2.2%, and over the past five years it has averaged +4.3% annual growth. The current price sits -5.6% from its 5-year peak in 2024-06.

Renters pay a median of $1,333 per month in Waco. Rents have changed +1.0% over the last year and averaged +5.5% per year over five years.

Beyond housing, day-to-day costs in Waco are shaped by state and local taxes, utility rates, transportation, and groceries. This page focuses on the housing component, which is the largest single line in most household budgets and the easiest to compare across cities using consistent national data.

Housing

Median home value$196,465
1-year change-2.2%
5-year price growth+4.3%
10-year price growth+7.5%
vs 5-year peak-5.6%

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI).

How Waco compares

Cost index55 (below US)
Median home vs US (~$355k)-44.7%
Population146,608
Momentum score58 (Stable)

Cost index is currently a housing-only proxy; full BLS basket coming with ACS pull.

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.