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Location
Waco, the seat of McLennan County, Texas, is located 90 miles south of Dallas/Fort Worth, 90 miles north of Austin and 180 miles northwest of Houston. The Waco Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) covers 1,000 square miles, with the Waco corporate limits encompassing 85 square miles. |
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Climate
Waco has a sub-tropical climate with an average annual temperature of 67.2 degrees. The average minimum temperature for December is 38.3 degrees and the average maximum for July is 97 degrees. The average annual rainfall is 33.33 inches and the growing season is 253 days. Elevation is 427 feet above sea level. McLennan County lies partially on the Grand Prairie and Blackland Prairie. Soil composition varies from shallow, stony terrain in the west to rich black clay and sandy loam in eastern McLennan County. |
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City
Waco is a municipal corporation with a council/manager form of government. The city charter went into effect in 1958. Fire protection is provided by a full-time fire department with an ISO rating of 4 that has more than 40 pieces of equipment, located at 14 strategically placed fire stations with more than 185 fire fighters. An excellent police department provides public protection from more than 68 patrol cars and more than 238 officers along with one sheriff and more than 115 deputies and eight constables. Waco has a city master plan and zoning ordinances. |
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Education
With an operating budget of more than $110 million, and a student teacher ratio of 15:1, quality education is available to more than 15,600 students from kindergarten to high school in 30 Waco Independent School District schools. Nineteen other school districts are located in the surrounding communities within the county. Waco has three institutions of higher education. Baylor University, McLennan Community College and Texas State Technical College Waco.
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Communications Media One daily newspaper, the Waco Tribune-Herald, and five weekly newspapers service the community. Twelve local radio stations provide programming in English and Spanish. Six local television stations and two cable providers broadcast to the Central Texas area. National Public Radio (NPR) and public television are available and have affiliations through Baylor University.
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Recreation and Area Attractions
Waco boasts more than 60 parks encompassing 1,400 acres within the community, including Cameron Park, which offers scenic hiking and biking trails, rock climbing and the Cameron Park Zoo. Additionally, Greater Waco is home to two country clubs, 14 museums, 10 health centers, nine golf courses, three movie theaters, 36 tennis courts, more than 325 restaurants, 2,649 hotel and motel rooms, 10 bed and breakfast facilities and Lake Waco. Centrally located in the Heart of Texas, Waco is within 200 miles of three national parks and more than 50 state parks and historic sites.
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The Arts
From art museums and galleries to the Waco Symphony Orchestra, Waco is rich in culture. Home to numerous outdoor venues, music fills the air of summer evenings along the Brazos and Bosque rivers. Theater arts are also an important aspect of Waco's culture. Baylor University and McLennan Community College numerous performances each year along with the Waco Hippodrome and the Waco Civic Theatre. |
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Health Care
Waco is served by two fully accredited and not-for-profit hospitals: Hillcrest Health System has 393 beds and seven local clinics throughout Greater Waco. Providence Health Center has 170 beds and seven clinics within its Waco network. Waco is also the home of the Veterans Administration Hospital, which has 433 beds and offers numerous medical services to veterans across the region. In addition, Waco has 24 assisted-living and nursing care facilities in the community. |
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Worship Facilities
The religious needs of the community are served by more than 200 places of worship representing more than 30 denominations and multiple faiths |
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Demographics
The populations of Waco and McLennan County are growing. Visit our demographics page for current data. |
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Major Employers
The Waco MSA is comprised of more than 8,000 businesses. Of that number, large businesses (firms with 100 or more employees), make up 58.7 percent of the employer population.
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Housing/Cost of Living
Cost of Living Index
Visit our Real Estate page |
