CostIndexUSA

Knoxville, TN vs Waco, TX Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTN
Knoxville
92.6
overall index
$1,725/mo rent
TX
Waco
92.6
overall index
$1,450/mo rent

Knoxville and Waco have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+0.8%
Knoxville
82.8
Waco
83.5
🛒 Groceries2.5%
Knoxville
96.2
Waco
93.8
🚗 Transportation+1.2%
Knoxville
99.9
Waco
101.1
🏥 Healthcare+1.1%
Knoxville
90.4
Waco
91.4
Utilities+12.7%
Knoxville
71.9
Waco
81

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Waco, TX
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 92.6) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Knoxville, TN

Median Home Price
$352,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,725
Housing Index
82.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.0×

Waco, TX

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

Waco has 0.8% higher housing costs compared to Knoxville.

Income & Job Market

Knoxville, TN

Median Household Income
$69,900
Per Capita Income
$39,800
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Population
190,740
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingTourismGovernment

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).

Knoxville, TN
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

70% 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.