CostIndexUSA

Huntsville, AL vs Waco, TX Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostAL
Huntsville
93.1
overall index
$1,400/mo rent
TX
Waco
92.6
overall index
$1,450/mo rent

Huntsville and Waco have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+7.2%
Huntsville
77.9
Waco
83.5
🛒 Groceries2.7%
Huntsville
96.4
Waco
93.8
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Huntsville
101.5
Waco
101.1
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Huntsville
91.9
Waco
91.4
Utilities3.5%
Huntsville
83.9
Waco
81

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Waco, TX
$79,600
$400 less needed in Waco

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 93.1) = salary × 0.9946. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Huntsville, AL

Median Home Price
$307,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,400
Housing Index
77.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.3×

Waco, TX

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

Waco has 7.2% higher housing costs compared to Huntsville.

Income & Job Market

Huntsville, AL

Median Household Income
$84,900
Per Capita Income
$48,400
Unemployment Rate
2.8%
Population
215,006
Top Industries
AerospaceDefenseTechnologyHealthcareEducation

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).

Huntsville, AL
5.1×income-to-rent ratio

80% 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.