HEAD TO HEAD
Odessa vs Waco
Waco leads Odessa on 3 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Odessa, TX
wins 1 of 5 factors
Waco, TX
wins 3 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Odessa | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 90 | 90 |
| Affordable to rent | 74 | 80 ◆ |
| Climate comfort | 88 | 94 ◆ |
| Plenty of sunshine | 89 ◆ | 66 |
| Big-city amenities | 34 | 57 ◆ |
By the numbers
| Figure | Odessa | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $257K | $257K |
| Typical rent | $1,571/mo | $1,404/mo |
| Average temperature | 18°C | 19.5°C |
| Sunshine (solar) | 5.58 kWh/m²/day | 4.81 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank | #271 | #178 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.