Jobs, pay and daily life in Waco, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Waco is a city in Texas with 143,570 residents. The median household earns $54,365 a year and the median rent is $1,165 a month, which is 25.7% of the median household income. It is part of the Waco, TX metropolitan area, where BLS counts 129,860 jobs.
How Waco compares. Among the 120 largest places in Texas, Waco is #24 by population, #6 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #111 for household income (#1 = highest), #108 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, McLennan County, is #76 of 254 counties for average pay ($60,387).
Waco has 143,570 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.5% of the population of Texas. It covers 91 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,578 people per square mile. The median age is 29.7, 17% younger than the state median (29.7 against 35.6).
The median gross rent is $1,165 a month (rent plus utilities), 17% below the state median ($1,165 against $1,403). Over a year that is 25.7% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $221,700, which is 4.1 times the median household income ($54,365). 49.4% of households own their home, 21% below the state average (49.4% against 62.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Waco, TX metropolitan area has 129,860 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,020 a year, 10% below the national median ($46,020 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (16,070 jobs, median $42,700); food preparation and serving related (12,910 jobs, median $28,440); transportation and material moving (11,040 jobs, median $38,410). The area is most specialised in production (1.3 times) and installation, maintenance, and repair (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($99,260) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($81,970). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of McLennan County was 4.0%. 62.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in McLennan County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 75.7% drive alone, 0.7% use public transit, 2.8% walk, 9.7% work from home. 6.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 65% below the state average (6.0% against 16.9%).
28.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 15% below the state share (28.7% against 33.8%). 10.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 40% below the state share (10.5% against 17.6%). The poverty rate is 23.1%, 68% above the state rate (23.1% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Aug, averaging 86°F (29.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 47°F (8.1°C). About 839 mm (33 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (107 mm) and Dec the driest (45 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Temple (33 miles, rent 6% higher); Harker Heights (44 miles, similar rent); Killeen (46 miles, rent 4% higher); Copperas Cove (52 miles, rent 10% lower). Rent differences are against Waco; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Texas (1,539) →State guide: TexasCountry guideMcLennan CountyTexas rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,539 federal postings open in Texas (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 5,100 | 1.59 | $27,750 | $21,540 | $34,800 | -11% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,690 | 1.26 | $92,990 | $45,430 | $213,970 | -12% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,540 | 1.50 | $37,500 | $29,050 | $46,260 | +0% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,260 | 1.51 | $38,810 | $27,910 | $55,350 | -13% |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,140 | 0.96 | $29,810 | $22,950 | $44,700 | -16% |
| Cashiers | 2,570 | 0.99 | $28,610 | $21,630 | $36,730 | -13% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,570 | 0.91 | $92,890 | $69,690 | $118,460 | -5% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,200 | 0.61 | $23,910 | $22,340 | $32,640 | -33% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,980 | 0.80 | $35,270 | $29,210 | $48,170 | -12% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,890 | 0.92 | $38,270 | $26,650 | $57,930 | -15% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,700 | 0.92 | $32,550 | $22,760 | $44,930 | -12% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,680 | 0.88 | $23,010 | $16,790 | $48,430 | -35% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,640 | 0.95 | $48,780 | $38,220 | $74,800 | -17% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,530 | 1.28 | $59,990 | $40,370 | $96,700 | -14% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,480 | 1.22 | $37,290 | $30,310 | $46,540 | -12% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,470 | 1.03 | $43,310 | $29,810 | $62,010 | -9% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,410 | 1.20 | $39,120 | $29,550 | $49,600 | -12% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,380 | 1.08 | $47,110 | $30,390 | $70,800 | -5% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,320 | 1.11 | $30,400 | $22,910 | $42,130 | -17% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 1,300 | 1.27 | $35,240 | $28,110 | $61,170 | -20% |
These figures are for the whole Waco, TX metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,020 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.5% |
| Retail trade | 13.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.6% |
| Manufacturing | 9.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.9% |
| Construction | 6.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.9% |
| Other services | 4.8% |
| Public administration | 3.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Waco lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLennan County | 266,067 | $18,479 million | $69,453 | 122,697 | 6,039 | $60,387 | +1.5% | 4.0% | 132,717 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 15,864 | 15.2% | $78,674 | 1.57 |
| Health care and social assistance | 15,374 | 14.7% | $62,152 | 0.87 |
| Retail trade | 13,140 | 12.6% | $39,307 | 1.07 |
| Accommodation and food services | 12,776 | 12.3% | $22,465 | 1.15 |
| Construction | 8,489 | 8.1% | $65,677 | 1.32 |
| Administrative and waste services | 6,389 | 6.1% | $40,488 | 0.88 |
| Wholesale trade | 5,784 | 5.5% | $73,533 | 1.20 |
| Finance and insurance | 5,251 | 5.0% | $82,855 | 1.05 |
| Educational services | 5,168 | 5.0% | $84,628 | 2.04 |
| Professional and technical services | 4,706 | 4.5% | $106,528 | 0.55 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,957 | 2.8% | $56,663 | 0.57 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,740 | 2.6% | $50,989 | 0.74 |
| Real estate and rental | 2,414 | 2.3% | $64,055 | 1.27 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,112 | 1.1% | $27,078 | 0.54 |
| Information | 778 | 0.7% | $60,426 | 0.34 |
| Utilities | 460 | 0.4% | $118,497 | 0.99 |
| Management of companies | 419 | 0.4% | $69,800 | 0.20 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 216 | 0.2% | $73,254 | 0.47 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 194 | 0.2% | $36,695 | 0.20 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 75.7% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 2.8% |
| Work from home | 9.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,365 |
| Income per person | $30,942 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,165 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 25.7% |
| Median home value | $221,700 |
| Homeowners | 49.4% |
| Poverty rate | 23.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,020 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 29.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 86.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 28.7% |
| Born abroad | 10.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.1 | 47 | 56 |
| Feb | 10.2 | 50 | 52 |
| Mar | 15.0 | 59 | 77 |
| Apr | 19.4 | 67 | 71 |
| May | 23.6 | 74 | 107 |
| Jun | 27.8 | 82 | 90 |
| Jul | 29.5 | 85 | 52 |
| Aug | 29.9 | 86 | 60 |
| Sep | 25.9 | 79 | 78 |
| Oct | 20.0 | 68 | 98 |
| Nov | 14.1 | 57 | 53 |
| Dec | 9.1 | 48 | 45 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple | TX | 33 mi | 89,602 | $68,204 | $1,231 |
| Harker Heights | TX | 44 mi | 34,128 | $81,190 | $1,146 |
| Killeen | TX | 46 mi | 158,159 | $60,977 | $1,208 |
| Copperas Cove | TX | 52 mi | 37,947 | $71,225 | $1,043 |
| Cleburne | TX | 57 mi | 34,344 | $70,656 | $1,322 |
| Waxahachie | TX | 62 mi | 45,347 | $85,723 | $1,618 |
| Midlothian | TX | 64 mi | 39,356 | $126,641 | $2,013 |
| Burleson | TX | 67 mi | 52,918 | $93,928 | $1,685 |
| Georgetown | TX | 68 mi | 85,999 | $95,062 | $1,795 |
| Mansfield | TX | 70 mi | 77,510 | $121,126 | $1,954 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
143,570 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,165 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 25.7% of the median household income.
$54,365 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS county, McLennan County (latest month 2026M09)).
Texas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.