| Measure | MesquiteTexas, United States Remove Mesquite | WacoTexas, United States Remove Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.2 | 6.7 |
| Connector Score | 8.2 | 8.3 |
| Safety | 6.7 | 5.0 |
| Affordability | 6.7 | 7.1 |
| Transportation | 8.0 | 7.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Walkability | 5.0 | 7.7 |
| Things to do | 5.7 | 6.6 |
| Food & dining | 5.8 | 5.6 |
| Places to stay | 6.1 | 5.8 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 7.5 |
| Scenic value | 4.5 | 7.3 |
| Family friendliness | 7.8 | 7.0 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.2 | 5.8 |
| Nightlife | 3.8 | 3.6 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.9 | 6.3 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $93 | $100 |
| Mid-range | $138 | $153 |
| Luxury | $248 | $256 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 98 | 94 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,300 | $1,100 |
| Median home price | $360,000 | $221,700 |
| Population | 151K | 148K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Bus Airport | Drive Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Mesquite | — | 1 h 40 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Families, History | Outdoors |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Historic sites, Theme & amusement parks, Food scene, Pro sports, Shopping, Family & kids | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Pro sports, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Spring and fall | Peak: Baylor football and graduation weekends… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.