Example household · Waco, TX · $83,730 · same pay · 1 adult

Austin skyline

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Waco vs Austin

Waco and Austin

Photo: Quintin Soloviev / Wikimedia, CC BY 4.0

Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.

Same pay in both cities. One adult, one bedroom.

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So you know: homicide deaths in Austin are under the US rate in this release, 3.7 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).

Why people look at Waco to Austin

In 2022-2023, 451 households filed a move from Waco to Austin (about 667 people, average adjusted gross income $69,180). 391 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.

A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,108 in Waco and $1,221 in Austin. Waco has no state tax on wages. Austin has no state tax on wages. Local pay in Austin is 104% of the national level for the same work, against 84% in Waco.

Austin averages 228 sunny days, with July highs around 97°F and January nights around 43°F. Waco is 221 sunny days, 95°F in July, 37°F in January. Commutes average 27 minutes in Austin and 22 in Waco.

These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.

How we figure this

Who already made this move

In 2022-2023, 451 households moved Waco → Austin (about 667 people, average AGI $69,180). 391 households went the other way.

Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.

The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Waco and Austin changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.

What the move itself costs

About 114 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.

Full-service mover
$1,650–$3,100
Container or pod
$1,100–$2,050
Rent a truck
$400–$750

Movers in Austin and how to hire one →

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Questions

Is Austin cheaper than Waco after tax and rent?

No. Austin leaves about $265 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,108 in Waco and $1,221 in Austin.

Does Austin have state income tax?

Austin is in Texas, which has no state income tax.

Did people actually move from Waco to Austin?

Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.