City comparison
Mission, TX is about 375 miles (600 km) from Waco, TX in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 475 miles, or about 7 h 45 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Mission, TX to Waco, TX takes about 45 min, covering roughly 375 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Waco has a population of 140,545, vs 85,755 in Mission — about 1.6× larger by population. By land area, Waco covers about 91 sq mi vs 36 sq mi for Mission.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Mission | Waco | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $876/mo | $1,038/mo | 18.5% higher in Waco |
| Median home value | $147,600 | $174,100 | 18.0% higher in Waco |
| Median household income | $56,421 | $47,421 | 19.0% higher in Mission |
| Groceries index | 94.2 | 94.2 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 82.4 | 82.2 | ≈ equal (Mission slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 96.6 | 96.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 96.1 | 96.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Mission, you'd need $114,214 in Waco to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Mission, TX is about 12.4% cheaper overall than Waco, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 46% higher in Waco than in Mission. If you earn $80,000 in Mission, you'd need about $91,372 in Waco to keep the same standard of living.