Hewitt receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hewitt
Waco
Opportunity
64 · Top 33%
vs52 · Bottom 42%
Growth
59 · Top 35%
vs67 · Top 20%
Climate
67 · Bottom 38%
vs67 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 10%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs70 · Bottom 34%
Schools
79 · Top 15%
vs28 · Bottom 21%
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
78 · Top 10%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Hewitt | Waco | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,432 | 143,570 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,511 | $54,365 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,054 | $30,942 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,386/sq mi | 1,578/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $273,300 | $221,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,538 | $1,165 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.3% | 49.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.5% | 28.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.8% | 23.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 45 | 1,073 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 7.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | -17.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.4" | 36.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 20.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 29.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.09 | 14.50 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 56.0% | 26.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 52.0% | 32.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.3% | 70.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Hewitt, TX · Waco, TX · How this is calculated: methodology