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CITY · 2020 ACS

Waco

Texas · 138,486 residents · 91.0 sq mi
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With 138,486 people, Waco is a city in Texas. The median age is 30.6, younger than the US median of 38.8. Owners hold 44% of the housing stock. 25.3% of locals live below the federal poverty line. That trails the Texas median by roughly 37%. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $133,500.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 30.6
US median: 38.8
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 67%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

138,486
+22%since 2000
from 113,726 in 2000
1990 – 2025
30.6
+10%since 2000
from 27.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
91.0 sq mi
Population, 19902024
100K112K124K136K148K19902000201020202024Waco
2024144K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56.8%(9,429)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.8%(9,397)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.4%(8,824)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 199.6%(13,242)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2411.7%(16,238)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.6%(20,270)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.4%(15,839)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 549.6%(13,337)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6410%(13,864)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 747.6%(10,534)
US avg: 10%
75 to 843.7%(5,073)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.8%(2,439)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$40,349
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,264 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$23,126
+59%since 2000
from $14,584 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
26.9%
+11.9 ptssince 2009
from 15.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
25.3%
−1.0 ptssince 2000
from 26.3% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information13.4%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade10.4%
US avg: 10%
Wholesale trade7%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services5.4%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance4.3%
US avg: 5.5%
Public administration3.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical3.4%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.9%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.4%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$133,500
+67%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$879
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $490 in 2000
US average: $1,124
44.5%
−1.9 ptssince 2000
from 46.4% in 2000
55.5% rent
2.58 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.61 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.3
+20%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.
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%
2020
White, non-Hispanic42.3%(58,644)
Black19.4%(26,844)
Hispanic / Latino31.7%(43,857)
Asian2.5%(3,525)
Other2%(2,835)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican27.8%(38,371)
Central American0.9%(1,195)
Puerto Rican0.7%(973)
Spaniard0.6%(867)
Guatemalan0.4%(545)
Cuban0.3%(369)
Colombian0.2%(311)
Panamanian0.2%(250)
Salvadoran0.2%(245)
Honduran0.1%(140)
Venezuelan0.1%(130)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0.1%(89)
Argentine0.1%(86)
Peruvian0%(65)
Chilean0%(28)
Dominican0%(24)
Asian origin
Chinese0.6%(846)
Korean0.3%(467)
Asian Indian0.3%(434)
Filipino0.2%(269)
Laotian0.2%(264)
Pakistani0.2%(217)
Vietnamese0.1%(159)
Bangladeshi0.1%(126)
Japanese0%(59)
Cambodian0%(57)
Thai0%(34)
Burmese0%(22)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Taiwanese0%(20)
Hmong0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(26)
Ancestry
German10.2%(14,115)
Irish7.3%(10,027)
English5.8%(7,960)
American2.6%(3,649)
Italian1.7%(2,309)
French1.5%(2,009)
Scottish1.4%(1,863)
Czech1.3%(1,739)
Polish0.9%(1,209)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(1,110)
British0.6%(889)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.6%(827)
Dutch0.6%(811)
Welsh0.4%(600)
Swedish0.4%(541)
Nigerian0.2%(334)
Hungarian0.2%(252)
Greek0.2%(213)
Lebanese0.1%(196)
Russian0.1%(182)
Danish0.1%(164)
Swiss0.1%(148)
Canadian0.1%(125)
Portuguese0.1%(94)
Austrian0.1%(85)
West Indian0.1%(85)
Jordanian0%(57)
Romanian0%(54)
Jamaican0%(48)
Brazilian0%(42)
Iranian0%(40)
Ukrainian0%(33)
Finnish0%(27)
Slovak0%(27)
Ethiopian0%(27)
Egyptian0%(26)
Bulgarian0%(23)
Iraqi0%(22)
Belgian0%(22)
Syrian0%(18)
Israeli0%(17)
Turkish0%(15)
Ghanaian0%(12)
Section 05

Education

25.4%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 18.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
82.3%
+10.6 ptssince 2000
from 71.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
9.6%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 7.4% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

17.3 min
+53%since 2000
from 11.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
80.1%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 77.4% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
8.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

4.6%
−4.5 ptssince 2011
from 9.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
60.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2011
from 60.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.1%
US average: 73.3%
32.2%
+4.4 ptssince 2009
from 27.8% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

48.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 47.5% in 2009
51.6%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 52.5% in 2009
10.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
15.1%
−5.6 ptssince 2013
from 20.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
88.9%
US average: 91.9%
77.3%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
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

15.1%
−5.6 ptssince 2013
from 20.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
51.0%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
12.0%
US average: 13.7%
14.1%
US average: 17.6%
19.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.1%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
62.3%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
31.9%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)22.5%(1,390)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)22.3%(1,381)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era29.2%(1,805)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War7.4%(456)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II3.4%(211)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 6,186 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Waco, Texas?

Waco, Texas has about 138,486 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Waco, Texas?

The typical household in Waco, Texas earns about $40,349 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 $133,500, and the typical rent is about $879 a month.

How educated are people in Waco, Texas?

About 25.4% 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 25.3% 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 34,896 residents, a change of about 34 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →