CostIndexUSA

Champaign, IL vs Waco, TX Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostIL
Champaign
92.7
overall index
$1,275/mo rent
TX
Waco
92.6
overall index
$1,450/mo rent

Champaign and Waco have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+16.6%
Champaign
71.6
Waco
83.5
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Champaign
93.6
Waco
93.8
🚗 Transportation3.3%
Champaign
104.6
Waco
101.1
🏥 Healthcare3.4%
Champaign
94.6
Waco
91.4
Utilities10.5%
Champaign
90.5
Waco
81

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Champaign to see what you'd need to earn in Waco to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Waco, TX
$79,900
$100 less needed in Waco

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 92.7) = salary × 0.9989. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Champaign, IL

Median Home Price
$224,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,275
Housing Index
71.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.6×

Waco, TX

Median Home Price
$246,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
83.5
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.1×

Waco has 16.6% higher housing costs compared to Champaign.

Income & Job Market

Champaign, IL

Median Household Income
$62,100
Per Capita Income
$35,400
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Population
88,302
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyAgricultureRetail

Waco, TX

Median Household Income
$62,700
Per Capita Income
$35,700
Unemployment Rate
3.7%
Population
138,486
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareManufacturingRetailAgriculture

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Champaign, IL
4.1×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Waco, TX
3.6×income-to-rent ratio

72% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.