SalaryCompareTool

Baltimore, MD vs Waco, TX

Moving from Baltimore to Waco? Here's what changes — from your equivalent salary to housing ($405,877 → $256,772 median home) and taxes.

Baltimore vs Waco at a glance

Bars scaled to the range across all 200 metros; labels show actual values.

Baltimore, MD Waco, TX Cost-of-living index Baltimore, MD — Cost-of-living index: 103 103 Waco, TX — Cost-of-living index: 91 91 Median home price Baltimore, MD — Median home price: $406k $406k Waco, TX — Median home price: $257k $257k Price per sqft Baltimore, MD — Price per sqft: $214 $214 Waco, TX — Price per sqft: $122 $122 Median rent Baltimore, MD — Median rent: $1,919 $1,919 Waco, TX — Median rent: $1,404 $1,404 Combined sales tax Baltimore, MD — Combined sales tax: 6.0% 6.0% Waco, TX — Combined sales tax: 8.2% 8.2% Property tax rate Baltimore, MD — Property tax rate: 1.04% 1.04% Waco, TX — Property tax rate: 1.53% 1.53% Violent crime /100k Baltimore, MD — Violent crime /100k: 450 450 Waco, TX — Violent crime /100k: 430 430 Electricity ¢/kWh Baltimore, MD — Electricity ¢/kWh: 22.1 22.1 Waco, TX — Electricity ¢/kWh: 17.0 17.0 Avg commute (min) Baltimore, MD — Avg commute (min): 30 30 Waco, TX — Avg commute (min): 21 21 Avg summer high °F Baltimore, MD — Avg summer high °F: 88° 88° Waco, TX — Avg summer high °F: 96° 96° Avg winter low °F Baltimore, MD — Avg winter low °F: 27° 27° Waco, TX — Avg winter low °F: 38° 38°

To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in Baltimore, MD, you'd need about $88,323 in Waco, TX (−$11,677).

Livability — Baltimore, MD: 57 · Waco, TX: 73 (0–100).

What your home budget buys

A $500,000 home budget gets you about 2,341 sqft in Baltimore vs 4,088 sqft in Waco ($214 vs $122 per sqft).

Annual cost breakdown (at $100,000)

CategoryBaltimore, MDWaco, TXDifference
Housing $23,028 $16,848 −$6,180
Groceries $5,075 $4,647 −$428
Transportation $3,685 $3,675 −$10
Utilities $2,388 $1,836 −$552
Insurance $1,400 $3,600 +$2,200
Taxes $11,584 $5,779 −$5,805
Total $47,160 $36,385 −$10,775

Side by side

MetricBaltimore, MDWaco, TX
Cost-of-living index103.291.1
Unemployment rate4.86%4.56%
Population growth (5-yr)1.7%5.7%
Air quality (median AQI)4242
Big Mac price (est.)$5.87$5.19
Median home price$405,877$256,772
Home price ÷ income4.3×4.3×
1-yr home appreciation0.8%-0.8%
Price per square foot$214$122
Median rent$1,919$1,404
Total tax burden (% income)11.3%8.6%
Combined sales tax6.00%8.20%
Capital gains tax5.75%None
Property tax rate1.04%1.53%
Healthcare (annual)$7,200$6,800
Childcare (annual, infant)$16,000$9,500
Vehicle property taxNoneNone
Avg commute (min)3021
Home insurance / yr$1,400$3,600
Auto insurance / yr$1,900$2,100
Flood insurance / yr$750$900
Earthquake insurance / yr$100$100
Electricity ¢/kWh22.117.0
Gas $/gal3.303.00
Natural gas / mo$88$52
Water & sewer / mo$106$134
Home internet / mo$82$83
Violent crime /100k450430
Avg summer high °F8896
Avg winter low °F2738
Annual precipitation (in)45.036.4
Annual snowfall (in)19.31.0
Sunshine (% possible)57%64%
Permit difficulty (1–5)42

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