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