Neighborhood in Waco, McLennan County

Living in North Waco, Waco

D-

8th of 10areas in Waco
Overall score 10 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Waco overall: F

North Waco covers part of Waco, TX, home to about 3,000 people. It gets a D-, in the bottom 16% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 8th of 10 areas we score in Waco. It does best on cost of living and worst on internet access.

  • Lots of parks
  • Jobs and income scores low (11 of 100)
  • Health scores low (18 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store0.7 mi
Pharmacy0.7 mi
Park0.1 mi
Cafe2.3 mi
Restaurant0.5 mi
Gym1.1 mi
Hospital or urgent care0.6 mi
Childcare0.6 mi
Library0.7 mi

Straight-line distance from the middle of where people live. Overture Maps.

Population
2,970
Median rent
$790
Median home value
$235,000
Household income
$48,200
Average commute
25 min
Homes owned
35%
Loading map

What it's like to live in North Waco

North Waco is an area in Waco with about 3,000 residents, homes built around 1979, mostly rented (65% of homes) and 9% of households with children.

It grades D- against every neighborhood in Texas and ranks 8th of 10 areas in Waco, which grades F overall.

Pros of living in North Waco

  • Cheaper rent than the city. Median rent is $790, 32% lower than the Waco median.
  • Parks within walking distance. The closest park is about 0.1 miles away.

Cons of living in North Waco

  • Higher unemployment. 9.1% of the labor force is out of work, against 4.6% across Waco.
  • Lower-rated schools nearby. Only 1 of the 3 closest public schools are rated A or B.
  • Longer commutes. The average commute is 25 minutes, against 19 for Waco as a whole.
  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of tornadoes and wildfires as very high in this part of town.

North Waco report card

Each grade compares North Waco with every neighborhood in Texas. Safety is not graded for single neighborhoods because police report crime for the whole city.

  • Cost of living: grade B-

    Median rent $790, homes cost 4.9x income.

    62 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade D-

    Median household income $48,200, 9.1% unemployed.

    11 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade D

    Nearby schools average 74 of 100 on the state rating.

    21 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 414 violent crimes per 100k, 1,799 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade C

    Some everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    41 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade C

    Average commute 25 min, 13% work from home.

    43 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade D+

    25% have a bachelor’s degree.

    27 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade D

    19% of adults uninsured.

    18 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade D-

    35% of homes owner-occupied.

    15 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade D-

    77% of homes have broadband.

    10 of 100 vs TX areas

North Waco compared with Waco

Better than Waco

  • Median rent: $79032% lower than Waco ($1,165)
  • Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent: 47%11 points lower than Waco (58%)
  • People below the poverty line: 18%5 points lower than Waco (23%)

Worse than Waco

  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 35%15 points lower than Waco (49%)
  • Average commute: 25 min35% higher than Waco (19 min)
  • Homes with broadband internet: 77%12 points lower than Waco (89%)

Closest public schools

Texas Education Agency 2025 ratings. Check the attendance zone for any address with the district.

  • CCedar Ridge ElementaryElementary, Waco ISD0.5 mi
  • CBosqueville MiddleMiddle, Bosqueville ISD2.3 mi
  • ABosqueville High SchoolHigh, Bosqueville ISD2.3 mi

Cost of living in North Waco

Median rent in North Waco is $790 a month, 32% lower than the Waco median. A household would need about $32,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $235,000, 6% higher than the Waco median, which means a monthly payment of about $1,498 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereWacoTexas
Median rent32% lower than Waco$790$1,165$1,403
Median home value6% higher than Waco$235,000$221,700$283,800
Home value to income19% higher than Waco4.9x4.1x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent11 points lower than Waco47%58%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them15 points lower than Waco35%49%63%
Vacant homes2 points lower than Waco10%12%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Waco197919791992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$1,498
Mortgage payment
$1,286
Property tax
$212
Median rent, for comparison
$790

Based on a $235,000 home in North Waco, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median for the surrounding Census tract, or the county where that is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.

Work, income and getting around

MeasureHereWacoTexas
Median household income11% lower than Waco$48,200$54,365$78,476
Unemployment rate4 points higher than Waco9.1%4.6%5.3%
People below the poverty line5 points lower than Waco18%23%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher4 points lower than Waco25%29%34%
Average commute35% higher than Waco25 min19 min27 min
Workers who work from home3 points higher than Waco13%9.7%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transit3 points lower than Waco0.5%3.7%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet12 points lower than Waco77%89%91%

Natural hazard risk

FEMA National Risk Index for the Census tracts in this area.

  • River floodingModerate
  • HurricanesHigh
  • TornadoesVery high
  • HailHigh
  • Heat wavesHigh
  • WildfiresVery high
  • Winter stormsLow
  • Strong windModerate

Who lives in North Waco

Under 1812%
18 to 3431%
35 to 6428%
65 and over29%
Race and ethnicity
White59%
Hispanic or Latino27%
Black11%
Asian1.1%
Other or more than one race2.6%

Shown for information only. It is never part of any grade.

Other neighborhoods in Waco

  1. 1A-West WacoMedian rent $1,470
  2. 2B-Northwest WacoMedian rent $1,530
  3. 3B-Callan VillageMedian rent $1,760
  4. 4CSouthwest WacoMedian rent $1,290
  5. 5D+South WacoMedian rent $1,310
  6. 6D-Central WacoMedian rent $1,120
  7. 7D-Southeast WacoMedian rent $1,410
  8. 9FNortheast WacoMedian rent $990

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. DSunnyside SubdivisionSan Benito
  2. FGoodwin Heights Number 1 ColoniaPalmview
  3. DCentral HumbleHumble

Questions about North Waco

Is North Waco a good place to live?

North Waco covers part of Waco, TX, home to about 3,000 people. It gets a D-, in the bottom 16% of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 8th of 10 areas we score in Waco. It does best on cost of living and worst on internet access.

How much does it cost to live in North Waco?

Median rent in North Waco is $790 a month, 32% lower than the Waco median. The median home is worth $235,000, 6% higher than the Waco median. A median home costs 4.9x the median household income, compared with 4.1x across Waco.

What schools serve North Waco?

The closest rated public schools are Cedar Ridge Elementary (elementary, rated C), Bosqueville Middle (middle, rated C) and Bosqueville High School (high, rated A). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area groups 3 Census block groups in this part of Waco that have no neighborhood name on the map. Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, CDC PLACES 2025, Texas Education Agency, FEMA National Risk Index, Overture Maps. How we grade.