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METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Waco Metro

Waco, TX · 3 counties · 221,960 residents · 2,785 sq mi
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The short version

Waco is home to 221,960 people. Median home value sits at $47,215. The poverty rate is 20.8%, above the 13.2% national rate. The median household earns $22,146, about 26% below the national median. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. There are 27,337 fewer people here than in 2000.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 32.2
US median: 33.0
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
221,960
−11%vs 2000
vs 249,297 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
80 / sq mi
−11%vs 2000
vs 90 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
32.2
−2%vs 2000
vs 32.9 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
2,785 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
214K238K262K286K310K19902000201020202024Waco
2024302K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.3%(16,097)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.5%(16,633)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.9%(15,328)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 198.4%(18,650)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 249.2%(20,311)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3415.3%(33,958)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4412.9%(28,623)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 549.3%(20,569)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.6%(19,161)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748%(17,809)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 845.1%(11,380)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.6%(3,441)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$22,146
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $33,083 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$10,966
−35%vs 2000
vs $16,980 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
20.8%
+3.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 17.6% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$47,215
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $64,167 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$346
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $483 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
61.1%
−1.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 62.3% in 2000
38.9% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic65.3%(162,879)
Black15%(37,449)
Hispanic / Latino17.4%(43,278)
Asian0.9%(2,275)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic77.6%(172,203)
Black15.6%(34,582)
Hispanic / Latino11.9%(26,323)
Asian0.7%(1,445)
Other6.2%(13,730)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican23.5%(70,832)
Central American0.7%(2,213)
Puerto Rican0.6%(1,923)
Honduran0.3%(858)
Salvadoran0.3%(831)
Spaniard0.2%(674)
Cuban0.2%(540)
Nicaraguan0.1%(292)
Colombian0.1%(181)
Peruvian0%(132)
Venezuelan0%(109)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.4%(1,226)
Asian Indian0.3%(934)
Chinese0.3%(763)
Cambodian0.3%(761)
Korean0.2%(476)
Filipino0.1%(448)
Pakistani0.1%(341)
Laotian0.1%(261)
Nepalese0.1%(182)
Japanese0%(72)
Thai0%(51)
Taiwanese0%(49)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Okinawan0%(13)
Uzbek0%(9)
Hmong0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(233)
Tongan0%(110)
Chamorro0%(63)
Fijian0%(17)
Ancestry
German12.9%(38,999)
English10%(30,236)
Irish8.5%(25,598)
American4.2%(12,587)
Czech2.1%(6,451)
Italian1.9%(5,855)
Scottish1.7%(5,068)
French1.5%(4,667)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(3,313)
Norwegian0.8%(2,498)
Polish0.8%(2,460)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.5%(1,499)
Dutch0.5%(1,487)
Welsh0.4%(1,351)
British0.4%(1,111)
Danish0.2%(695)
Arab0.2%(676)
West Indian0.2%(633)
Nigerian0.2%(493)
Greek0.1%(420)
Russian0.1%(403)
Syrian0.1%(310)
Hungarian0.1%(272)
Romanian0.1%(236)
Finnish0.1%(229)
Jamaican0.1%(222)
Austrian0.1%(215)
Swiss0.1%(212)
Lebanese0.1%(201)
Canadian0.1%(185)
Portuguese0.1%(181)
Ukrainian0.1%(178)
Slovak0.1%(158)
Australian0.1%(137)
Cape Verdean0.1%(135)
Armenian0%(126)
Turkish0%(91)
Ghanaian0%(87)
Slovene0%(40)
Croatian0%(37)
Brazilian0%(32)
Barbadian0%(28)
Iranian0%(17)
Moroccan0%(15)
Haitian0%(15)
Ethiopian0%(11)
Belgian0%(9)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.6%
−2.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 18.1% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
70.0%
−5.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 75.8% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
5.5%
−1.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 6.8% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.5 min
+29%vs 2000
vs 13.6 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married38.1%(44,944)
Married50.6%(59,654)
Widowed2.9%(3,398)
Divorced8.4%(9,865)
Women 15+
Never married32.1%(40,309)
Married47.1%(59,072)
Widowed8.6%(10,735)
Divorced12.3%(15,390)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
14.6%
−4.4 ptssince 2013
from 18.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
52.4%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 53.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 12.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
16.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 17.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
16.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 17.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
64.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 64.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
32.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 33.1% 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)31.2%(5,324)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.3%(4,315)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era29.5%(5,040)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.5%(589)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.1%(189)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 17,066 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
In this metro

Largest cities

WacoCENTRAL147,788Hewitt16,754Robinson13,028Bellmead10,592Woodway9,753Lacy-Lakeview7,240Marlin5,599Clifton3,523West2,629Willow Grove2,080Beverly Hills1,835Lorena1,817Moody1,650Laguna Park1,596Bruceville-Eddy1,483Meridian1,403Rosebud1,344Valley Mills1,293Gholson1,274China Spring1,126Riesel1,061Crawford934Walnut Springs907Golinda704Chilton698Lott686Morgan475Hallsburg455Leroy361Iredell314

The 30 most populous of 34 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

3 component counties

McLennan CountyCENTRAL272,020Bosque County18,918Falls County17,869
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Waco

Longview
Pop 297,315
Merced
Pop 297,260
South Bend
Pop 324,538
Roanoke
Pop 316,547
Places similar to Waco
Head to head

Compare Waco side by side

WACO VS
Longview
Income$66,775+202%
Home value$186,821+296%
Population297,315−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WACO VS
Merced
Income$65,510+196%
Home value$391,800+730%
Population297,260−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WACO VS
South Bend
Income$67,435+205%
Home value$196,800+317%
Population324,538+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WACO VS
Roanoke
Income$70,385+218%
Home value$244,820+419%
Population316,547+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Waco, TX?

Waco, TX has about 221,960 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Waco, TX?

The typical household in Waco, TX earns about $22,146 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Waco, TX expensive?

In Waco, TX, the median home is worth about $47,215, and the typical rent is about $346 a month.

How educated are people in Waco, TX?

About 15.6% of adults age 25 and over in Waco, TX hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Waco, TX?

About 20.8% of people in Waco, TX live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →