CITY
Waco
Texas · 147,788 residents (2025 est.) · 91.0 sq mi
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Part of the Waco metro area
Notable rankings
#189Largest by populationof 4,896147,788The short version
Waco is home to 143,570 people in Texas. The median age is 29.7, younger than the US median of 38.9. Owners hold 49% of the housing stock. 23.1% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 31% less than in Texas as a whole. 29,844 more people live here than in 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 29.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 129%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
143,570
+26%since 2000
from 113,726 in 2000
147,788 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
91.0 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024144K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.6%(9,503)
5 to 96.2%(8,895)
10 to 146.5%(9,351)
15 to 199.3%(13,326)
20 to 2413.6%(19,479)
25 to 3414.5%(20,846)
35 to 4411.3%(16,237)
45 to 549.1%(13,027)
55 to 649.5%(13,614)
65 to 747.9%(11,272)
75 to 843.8%(5,482)
85 and over1.8%(2,538)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$54,365
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,264 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
36.3%
+21.3 ptssince 2009
from 15.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.4%
Retail trade9.3%
Wholesale trade6.9%
Finance & insurance6%
Other services5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.2%
Public administration4.4%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.9%
Education & health services0.9%
Construction0.5%
Manufacturing0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$221,700
+129%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
4.1
+48%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
77
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic51.1%(58,096)
Black22.4%(25,477)
Hispanic / Latino23.6%(26,885)
Asian1.4%(1,542)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic44.2%(63,404)
Black19.3%(27,671)
Hispanic / Latino30.6%(43,971)
Asian2.1%(2,964)
Other3.9%(5,560)
84
+3%since 2009
from 81 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican27%(38,762)
Central American1.2%(1,684)
Puerto Rican0.9%(1,246)
Honduran0.6%(814)
Salvadoran0.5%(689)
Spaniard0.3%(448)
Cuban0.3%(428)
South American0.3%(365)
Peruvian0.1%(129)
Costa Rican0.1%(86)
Venezuelan0.1%(75)
Colombian0.1%(74)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Guatemalan0%(59)
Argentine0%(40)
Bolivian0%(37)
Panamanian0%(21)
Nicaraguan0%(15)
Chilean0%(10)
Dominican0%(9)
Asian origin
Chinese0.4%(645)
Asian Indian0.4%(545)
Korean0.3%(383)
Vietnamese0.2%(320)
Pakistani0.2%(311)
Laotian0.2%(261)
Filipino0.2%(253)
Nepalese0.1%(182)
Thai0%(23)
Japanese0%(20)
Taiwanese0%(16)
Cambodian0%(15)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Ancestry
German10.8%(15,567)
English8.5%(12,206)
Irish6.7%(9,632)
American3.1%(4,487)
Italian1.9%(2,725)
French1.6%(2,336)
Scottish1.5%(2,109)
Czech1.2%(1,747)
Subsaharan African1.2%(1,691)
Scotch-Irish1%(1,430)
Norwegian0.7%(1,015)
Polish0.7%(964)
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.6%(908)
Dutch0.6%(860)
Welsh0.5%(647)
British0.4%(562)
West Indian0.3%(441)
Nigerian0.3%(413)
French Canadian0.2%(355)
Arab0.2%(304)
Greek0.2%(255)
Russian0.2%(216)
Hungarian0.1%(209)
Danish0.1%(168)
Austrian0.1%(152)
Lebanese0.1%(142)
Cape Verdean0.1%(135)
Finnish0.1%(133)
Ukrainian0.1%(129)
Armenian0.1%(125)
Romanian0.1%(102)
Jamaican0.1%(99)
Portuguese0.1%(88)
Canadian0%(65)
Slovak0%(63)
Swiss0%(52)
Turkish0%(47)
Lithuanian0%(40)
Brazilian0%(32)
Croatian0%(31)
Australian0%(21)
Iranian0%(17)
Moroccan0%(15)
Palestinian0%(15)
Haitian0%(15)
Syrian0%(13)
Ethiopian0%(11)
Ghanaian0%(11)
Egyptian0%(7)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
86.0%
+14.4 ptssince 2000
from 71.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.3%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 71.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
95.2%
+6.3 ptssince 2020
from 88.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married46.7%(25,652)
Married42.8%(23,474)
Widowed2.7%(1,499)
Divorced7.8%(4,265)
Women 15+
Never married40.6%(24,711)
Married39%(23,767)
Widowed7.5%(4,582)
Divorced12.9%(7,871)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
12.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 12.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
2.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
63.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 62.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
30.5%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 31.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)37%(2,637)
Gulf War (1990s)24.6%(1,755)
Vietnam era25.3%(1,802)
Korean War4.7%(334)
World War II1.1%(81)
Share of the 7,121 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Waco, Texas?
Waco, Texas has about 143,570 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Waco, Texas?
The typical household in Waco, Texas earns about $54,365 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Waco, Texas expensive?
In Waco, Texas, the median home is worth about $221,700, and the typical rent is about $1,165 a month.
How educated are people in Waco, Texas?
About 28.7% of adults age 25 and over in Waco, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Waco, Texas?
About 23.1% of people in Waco, Texas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Waco, Texas grown since 1990?
Yes, Waco, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 39,980 residents, a change of about 39 percent over that period.
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TexasDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024