Bellmead receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Waco
Bellmead
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs48 · Bottom 34%
Growth
67 · Top 20%
vs53 · Top 46%
Climate
67 · Bottom 38%
vs67 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 10%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 34%
vs83 · Top 46%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 14%
vs32 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Waco | Bellmead | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 143,570 | 10,566 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,365 | $52,075 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,942 | $27,876 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,578/sq mi | 1,531/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $221,700 | $155,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,165 | $1,107 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.4% | 59.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.7% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.1% | 24.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,073 | 19 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.2% | -26.9% | 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 | 9 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.7 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-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: Waco, TX · Bellmead, TX · How this is calculated: methodology