Jobs, pay and daily life in Waco, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Waco is a city in Texas with 143,570 residents. The median household earns $54,365 a year and the median rent is $1,165 a month, which is 25.7% of the median household income. It is part of the Waco, TX metropolitan area, where BLS counts 129,860 jobs.
Federal jobs in Texas (1,540) →State guide: TexasCountry guide
There are 1,540 federal postings open in Texas (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 5,100 | 1.59 | $27,750 | $21,540 | $34,800 | -11% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,690 | 1.26 | $92,990 | $45,430 | $213,970 | -12% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,540 | 1.50 | $37,500 | $29,050 | $46,260 | +0% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,260 | 1.51 | $38,810 | $27,910 | $55,350 | -13% |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,140 | 0.96 | $29,810 | $22,950 | $44,700 | -16% |
| Cashiers | 2,570 | 0.99 | $28,610 | $21,630 | $36,730 | -13% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,570 | 0.91 | $92,890 | $69,690 | $118,460 | -5% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,200 | 0.61 | $23,910 | $22,340 | $32,640 | -33% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,980 | 0.80 | $35,270 | $29,210 | $48,170 | -12% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,890 | 0.92 | $38,270 | $26,650 | $57,930 | -15% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,700 | 0.92 | $32,550 | $22,760 | $44,930 | -12% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,680 | 0.88 | $23,010 | $16,790 | $48,430 | -35% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,640 | 0.95 | $48,780 | $38,220 | $74,800 | -17% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,530 | 1.28 | $59,990 | $40,370 | $96,700 | -14% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,480 | 1.22 | $37,290 | $30,310 | $46,540 | -12% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,470 | 1.03 | $43,310 | $29,810 | $62,010 | -9% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,410 | 1.20 | $39,120 | $29,550 | $49,600 | -12% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,380 | 1.08 | $47,110 | $30,390 | $70,800 | -5% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,320 | 1.11 | $30,400 | $22,910 | $42,130 | -17% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 1,300 | 1.27 | $35,240 | $28,110 | $61,170 | -20% |
These figures are for the whole Waco, TX metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,020 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.5% |
| Retail trade | 13.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.6% |
| Manufacturing | 9.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.9% |
| Construction | 6.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.9% |
| Other services | 4.8% |
| Public administration | 3.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.9% |
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 75.7% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 2.8% |
| Work from home | 9.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,365 |
| Income per person | $30,942 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,165 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 25.7% |
| Median home value | $221,700 |
| Homeowners | 49.4% |
| Poverty rate | 23.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,020 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 29.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 86.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 28.7% |
| Born abroad | 10.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.1 | 47 | 56 |
| Feb | 10.2 | 50 | 52 |
| Mar | 15.0 | 59 | 77 |
| Apr | 19.4 | 67 | 71 |
| May | 23.6 | 74 | 107 |
| Jun | 27.8 | 82 | 90 |
| Jul | 29.5 | 85 | 52 |
| Aug | 29.9 | 86 | 60 |
| Sep | 25.9 | 79 | 78 |
| Oct | 20.0 | 68 | 98 |
| Nov | 14.1 | 57 | 53 |
| Dec | 9.1 | 48 | 45 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killeen | TX | 46 mi | 158,159 | $60,977 | $1,208 |
| Round Rock | TX | 77 mi | 127,786 | $99,287 | $1,763 |
| Grand Prairie | TX | 79 mi | 201,883 | $81,619 | $1,629 |
| Arlington | TX | 79 mi | 403,657 | $74,388 | $1,594 |
| Fort Worth | TX | 85 mi | 1,014,376 | $82,503 | $1,630 |
| College Station | TX | 86 mi | 124,570 | $50,900 | $1,194 |
| Dallas | TX | 89 mi | 1,326,093 | $74,323 | $1,599 |
| Mesquite | TX | 90 mi | 149,299 | $72,537 | $1,513 |
| Irving | TX | 91 mi | 256,492 | $81,830 | $1,619 |
| Austin | TX | 93 mi | 993,771 | $90,430 | $1,770 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
143,570 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,165 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 25.7% of the median household income.
$54,365 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS metro area 2026M09).
Texas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.