CostIndexUSA

Lexington, KY vs Waco, TX Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostKY
Lexington
92.9
overall index
$1,500/mo rent
TX
Waco
92.6
overall index
$1,450/mo rent

Lexington and Waco have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+8.3%
Lexington
77.1
Waco
83.5
🛒 Groceries2.5%
Lexington
96.2
Waco
93.8
🚗 Transportation0.6%
Lexington
101.7
Waco
101.1
🏥 Healthcare0.7%
Lexington
92
Waco
91.4
Utilities+8.6%
Lexington
74.6
Waco
81

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Waco, TX
$79,700
$300 less needed in Waco

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 92.9) = salary × 0.9968. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Lexington, KY

Median Home Price
$313,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,500
Housing Index
77.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.4×

Waco, TX

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

Waco has 8.3% higher housing costs compared to Lexington.

Income & Job Market

Lexington, KY

Median Household Income
$70,000
Per Capita Income
$39,900
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
322,570
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingAgricultureGovernment

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).

Lexington, KY
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

74% 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.