Since the mid-1800s, Waco has grown from a small plantation community into a college town with a few claims to fame. In 1880, the Brazos River city earned a spot on the pop culture map with the creation of Dr Pepper, America’s oldest soft drink. Waco is also the home of Baylor University, the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Today, the city of 144,000 also attracts moderate tourist activity thanks to the home renovation show "Fixer-Upper." Co-hosts Chip and Joanna Gaines own several businesses in Waco, and they have revamped more than 250 homes in town. Situated roughly halfway between Dallas and Austin, about 90 miles from each, the seat of McLennan County offers a low-key alternative to its larger neighbors. Plus, top-notch schools boost the handful of upscale suburbs. “I tell my buyers: If you like Waco half as much as I do, you’re going to love it here,” says Joe Reed, longtime Waco resident and Realtor with Weichert Realtors.
Several bridges connect Carver to downtown Waco.
The Dr.Pepper Plant has been a historic staple of the city for decades.
McLane Stadium is the heart of the neighborhood and
The Junky Monkey is a local antique shop that is a historic staple of the neighborhood.
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Top-notch school districts and Baylor University
Depending on the neighborhood, students can attend a progression of schools in one of Waco’s highly rated school districts. Midway Independent School District, earning a rare A-plus from Niche, is the most desirable of the bunch, followed by China Spring ISD, rated A. Bosqueville ISD gets an A-minus, and the Waco Independent School District receives a B-minus. Baylor University, a private Christian college, sits in a central location by the Brazos River. The city population balloons by an additional 20,000 when students are in town, and more than 40,000 people attend homecoming weekend. The Baylor Bears football team tackles opponents at McLane Stadium, which seats 45,000. “Baylor brings in a lot of people,” says Heather Foss, owner and operator of Magnolia Real Estate. “Alumni come for homecoming and all the games.”
GreatSchools gives South Waco Elementary School a 16:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
J.H. Hines Elementary School in Waco, TX gets a "C-" score on niche.
G. W. Carver Middle School is where every student shines.
Parkview Christian Academy
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Local restaurants and mom-and-pop shops downtown
Almost every Baylor student is familiar with “The Grease Pit,” a collection of fast-food chains alongside Interstate 35, not far from school. Coffee shops, pubs, breweries and distilleries also make their homes near campus, within walking distance of the mom-and-pop restaurants and shops downtown. The Silos at Magnolia, helmed by Chip and Joanna Gaines, form the centerpiece of the downtown area, with boutique-style shops offering home décor and gift items. In the Parkdale Viking Hills and Richland Hills neighborhoods near Woodway, malls and shopping centers cluster around the interstate and North Valley Mills Drive.
Common Grounds serves a variety of coffee drinks and pastries.
Cupp's Drive inn has old fashioned burgers and fries.
Silos Baking Co is in Downtown Waco with its delicious pastries.
Waco Downtown Farmers Market
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Single-family homes and condos near the Baylor bubble
The median price of a single-family home is roughly $270,000, less than the national median of about $420,000. The median townhouse cost is approximately $245,000. Prices start at $100,000 to $200,000 for investment properties, but small, well-maintained homes and two-bedroom condos near downtown and the Baylor bubble are typically priced at $150,000 to $250,000. In the Woodway and Hewitt suburbs, contemporary homes in subdivisions like Creekside fetch prices in the $500,000 to $600,000 range. Residents of Dottie Oaks, an upscale retail and condo development, can spend $700,000 to $800,000 for a unit within walking distance of The Silos at Magnolia. Around Lake Waco, luxury estates can sell for $750,000 to more than $1 million.
Heart of Texas homes come in a variety of styles, including remodeled ranches.
Single-story cottages abound in the streets of Heart of Texas.
Condos in the neighborhood of Baylor are within walking distance of downtown Waco attractions.
Bungalows in the neighborhood are known for their charming, vintage appeal.
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Home of the Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo
Most outdoor recreation in Waco centers on the Brazos River. Bike lanes and pedestrian paths border both sides of the waterway, and, as the trails edge closer to Cameron Park Zoo, whimsical animal sculptures appear along the waterfront. Cameron Park offers more hiking and biking trails, and canoes and kayaks are familiar sights on the Brazos and Bosque rivers. Lake Waco occupies over 8,000 acres west of downtown, with numerous parks dotting the shoreline.
The Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo rides onto the scene in early October. The 11-day celebration, sponsored by local grocery chain H-E-B, is the anchor for Extraco Events Center. Carnival rides and games surround the arena, where the rodeo and livestock shows take center stage. The Hot Shops Marketplace allows local vendors to showcase their wares, and three stages host live bands.
Brook Oaks is conveniently situated near major highways, offering easy access to downtown Waco.
Residents enjoy close proximity to the Brazos river.
Downtown Waco is within walking and biking distance of the neighborhood.
Cameron Park Zoo is a beautiful zoo located in Waco, near the Brook Oaks neighborhood.
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Getting around on West Waco Drive
Although downtown Waco is walkable, the city is not pedestrian-friendly. However, the infrastructure is evolving. A recent upgrade brought new sidewalks and lighting to Elm Avenue across the Brazos River, and pedestrian lanes on the bridges — including Waco’s historic Suspension Bridge — make the river easier to cross. Bike lanes are mainly concentrated around the Baylor campus and the river, with a few extending downtown. While Waco Transit System buses operate 10 routes throughout the city, locals say long wait times make it impractical to rely on full-time.
The Highway 6 Twin Bridges over Lake Waco are currently under construction. The plan is to add another lane to each side of the bridge, creating a six-lane highway. In the meantime, construction affects traffic for residents who need to cross the lake.
West Waco Drive, Highway 84, runs the length of the city, extending north into Bellmead and south into Woodway. American Airlines offers flights to Dallas-Fort Worth from Waco Regional Airport to spare travelers from the 90-mile drive, with most flights occurring three times daily. Austin lies 90 miles south of Waco and is easily accessible via Interstate 35, which separates the Baylor bubble from the downtown area.
Ascension Providence Hospital and Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Hillcrest are two primary employers, along with Baylor and the Waco ISD. Other significant industries include technology, aerospace and food processing.
Weather, water safety and other concerns
Summer in Waco gets hot and sticky. Soaring temperatures combine with a drop in humidity during high summer, contributing to a high wildfire risk. Water pollution issues are another ongoing concern that the Lake Waco Wetlands organization attempts to offset by filtering out high phosphorus and nitrogen levels in the North Bosque River. One of the deadliest tornadoes in Texas history razed Waco in 1953, and the risk of tornado damage is still much higher than the national average. The SpaceX Rocket Development Facility tests manufactured engines and various components in nearby McGregor. Though the facility is about 20 miles from Waco, these maneuvers can be difficult to ignore. “If you ever feel a vibration and are like, ‘What’s that?’, it’s the rocket test,” Foss says. “It will rattle your windows and shake your doors.”
According to FBI data, the risk of violent crime in Waco is higher than the state average, which already ticks slightly higher than the national average. CAP Index crime scores are higher in the downtown district and the Richland Hills neighborhood, likely due to high commercial activity in those areas.
Waco’s houses of worship
Central Texas falls into the Bible Belt. Landmark houses of worship include St. James United Methodist Church, St. Francis on the Brazos and New Hope Baptist Church, as well as Temple Rodef Sholom.
Carver Park Baptist Church often organizes outreach initiatives to assist the community.
St. John Catholic Church actively engages in youth programs and adult education.
Willow Grove residents have several churches near them.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church in University offers daily confessions and weekly mass.
On average, homes in Waco, TX sell after 75 days on the market compared to the national average of 50 days. The median sale price for homes in Waco, TX over the last 12 months is $258,000, down 1% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Broker / Owner of The Real Estate Ranch & Premier Properties in Midland, TX. Thomas sells Commercial / Residential Land & Homes in the Permian Basin, South Plains, Concho Basin, Hill Country, and West Texas & New Mexico Ranches. His college career included a run at Texas Tech, where he received a BA in Communications with a Marketing minor. Thomas is a networker, this is his number one quality that sets him apart; if you need anything he has someone to fit that need or knows a professional to connect you with.
He worked as a landman leasing acreage from farmers and ranchers for wind farms while earning his real estate license. When Thomas transitioned from wind to real estate, he hit the ground running and never looked back.
Thomas is a member of the Texas Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, Permian Basin Home Builders Association, where he held a Director Position from 2011-2013, and the Permian Basin Board of Realtors, where he held a Director Position from 2008 - 2012.
As one of the Top Ranch Agents in West Texas, Thomas travels the State of Texas in search of Ranching Investments. He is constantly scanning the web and papers looking for ranch deals and investment ranches from as far North as Lipscomb County all the way South to Hidalgo County. Thomas can find the perfect fit for you, whether it be a Flip Ranch or a Turn-Key Deal. Not only does he possess great real estate knowledge, but he also possesses knowledge of government land programs and methods of funding your investments.
He has assisted in the development of the newer parts of Midland in the Past 3 years. That’s why he is at the top of everyone’s list when it comes to finding a development, selling out-right, or when a landowner wants to develop their land on their own.
Thomas Johnston’s sales numbers since January 2007 in Midland alone were MLS Ranked #8 in that period with 172 closed transactions totaling $550,397,253 in sales.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
