City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

Waco, NE

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Waco - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

155
Residents
$80,417
Median income
$140,000
Median home
$1,005
Median rent (state)

Waco - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Waco places in the 62nd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

62nd
percentile, household income
24th
percentile, home value
20th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Waco, NE

Waco is a small town in Nebraska, home to 155 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Waco households earn a median of $80,417 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in Waco are valued around $140,000, and the median resident age is 61.4 years. About 36.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 52.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 1 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Low Activity).

Living costs in Nebraska run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Nebraska at 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,005 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Nebraska run around $207, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 52.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

155 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$80,417 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does Waco compare to other US cities?

Waco measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 62% higher than other cities
Home value 24% pricier than other cities
Median rent 20% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Waco against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Nebraska only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Nebraska-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Waco near the bottom of Nebraska's cities

Among the 450 Nebraska cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Waco ranks #388 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Waco only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#79 of 439
82nd percentile in Nebraska
Median Gross Rent
#141 of 450
68th percentile in Nebraska
Median Home Value
#166 of 438
62nd percentile in Nebraska
Poverty Rate
#388 of 450
0th percentile in Nebraska
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#30 of 450
93rd percentile in Nebraska

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Nebraska only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

62ndIncome percentile

62nd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Waco's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$140,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 76% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Waco $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Waco, NE Waco, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Waco, NE-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Waco, NE median $80,417/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Waco, NE's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Waco, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 36.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
155
Median Income
$80,417
Median Home Value
$140,000
Median Age
61.4
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
52.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
36.4%

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
290 residents300 residents310 residents320 residents 202020212022202320242025 294 residents 312 residents ▲ +6.1%
Waco's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 1
2021 0
2022 4
2023 0
2024 1

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
66.2%
Carpool
14.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
11.8%
Work from Home
7.4%

Based on 68 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Nebraska - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$207
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Nebraska state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Nebraska state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Waco sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,005/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
52.3 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Du Bois
156 people
Hardy
157 people
Hyannis
153 people
Ulysses
157 people
Brunswick
160 people
Creston
149 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Waco's 155 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fairford, AL
155 people
Vaiva Vo, AZ
155 people
Fulton, AR
155 people
Sedgwick, AR
155 people
Otter Creek, FL
155 people
Campus, IL
155 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Waco's $80,417 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Diamond Ridge, AK
$80,417 median income
Glennallen, AK
$80,417 median income
Arden, DE
$80,417 median income
Ste. Marie, IL
$80,417 median income
Diagonal, IA
$80,417 median income
Slaughter, LA
$80,417 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Waco, NE Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Waco, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 96.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.6% White 96.1% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 1.9% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 1.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Waco compares to nearby Nebraska cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Waco (this city) 155 $80,417
Du Bois 156 $43,750
Hardy 157 $60,313
Hyannis 153 $37,500
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Waco, NE?

What is the population of Waco, NE? +

Waco, NE counts 155 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Waco, NE? +

The median household income in Waco is $80,417 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Waco? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Waco; the closest available measure is the Nebraska state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Nebraska vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Waco, NE? +

Waco's median home value sits at $140,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.