Waco-Baylor University: What is Waco really like? (Houston, Dallas: insurance, school district)

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by TexasTallest

Thats an interesting comment coming from someone living in Austin... there are homeless people all over the place there. I lived in downtown Waco for a few years and didn't see that many homeless people. Sure the occasional person wandering the streets around the big fast food cluster off 35, and a couple people sleeping down by the river, but not like you see in Austin where they are holding signs/begging at practically every major intersection.

Not saying at all there aren't any in Austin, but some of those people at intersections have domiciles of some sort, or at least shelters that will take them in. I understand it has improved, but Waco used to have a homeless rate of somewhere around double Austin and fewer shelters. A quick googling makes it look like it is now about the same rate as Austin, maybe a little better, maybe not, depends on which PR person you ask .

While my sister was in school there, their service fraternity made lunches and carried them to various 'camps' around the river and bridges to help feed transients. The poverty rate was also high:

In all of Waco: 28.7% of the population lives below the poverty level. 35.3% of children live below the poverty level. 31% of families have an annual income of less than $25,000 a year.

County-level poverty rates in the Austin MSA ranged from 7.7% in Williamson County to 20.0% in Caldwell County. The national poverty rate was 15.9%. Travis and Hays Counties, like Caldwell, are above the national rate (18.0% and 16.3% respectively) while Bastrop's 14.3% rate is below.

To be fair, it takes less to live in Waco and the poverty rate is not adjusted for the local cost of living, so it is hard to really compare.

[TexasTallest]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Not saying at all there aren't any in Austin, but some of those people at intersections have domiciles of some sort, or at least shelters that will take them in. I understand it has improved, but Waco used to have a homeless rate of somewhere around double Austin and fewer shelters. A quick googling makes it look like it is now about the same rate as Austin, maybe a little better, maybe not, depends on which PR person you ask .

While my sister was in school there, their service fraternity made lunches and carried them to various 'camps' around the river and bridges to help feed transients. The poverty rate was also high:




To be fair, it takes less to live in Waco and the poverty rate is not adjusted for the local cost of living, so it is hard to really compare.

That's a fair response. I was going to point out what you mentioned at the end of your post, too. It's harder for the homeless in Austin to get a place since the real estate is so much more expensive..

[dee936]

Originally Posted by explorer2014

Says the guy who lives in Houston and spent 4 years in Waco as a student...

It is 100% true. Although there are notable exceptions, superficiality and hypocrisy are the hallmarks of Waco religion.

Waco is a nice city plus they really are not rascist and they really a good city and you have to got to the city and see for yourself

[txstate]

Imagine if you had a bubble and Baylor was in it. Ok now imagine outside the bubble was the rest of Waco, and everyone looking at the shiny bubble likes its pretty, big and all that. That's Baylor and Waco relationship is like I see you but I don't want to know you. Baylor girls are cuties and pretty down to earth. When I go to a Baylor event, athletics mostly Waco people work the events, make that $ cause its not a lot but what other jobs are in the city. I never understood why Baylor wont allow corporations or big companies come into the city ? 2 rivers 3 Lakes in the middle Austin, Dallas, Houston makes no sense.

[PanTerra]

Originally Posted by txstate

I never understood why Baylor wont allow corporations or big companies come into the city ?

Wait, what?

[txstate]

Originally Posted by PanTerra

Wait, what?

I didn't stutter or make a typo. That's a true statement, you would know that if lived here.
I don't make the rules, I just follow them. Old Waco money, Baylor, masons, control this thing here.

[ikoolu]

control what? i see houses being built all over- apartments going up downtown - restaurants opening every day

Baylor starting a massive upgrade, new 4 story ortho treatment buildings as Scott / White

How about the Gaines and all their new money projects?

your statement is false and i live here

[txstate]

Ok your opinion.

Originally Posted by ikoolu

control what? i see houses being built all over- apartments going up downtown - restaurants opening every day

Baylor starting a massive upgrade, new 4 story ortho treatment buildings as Scott / White

How about the Gaines and all their new money projects?

your statement is false and i live here

[naterator]

Waco is alright. It has changed SO MUCH from when I lived there in the 90s.

I lived on 17th and Speight. It was not a very good area, but I couldn't afford to live a few blocks closer to campus.

The "Baylor bubble" was real, but much smaller. It runs all the way from the river to 18th street now.

Wouldn't hesitate to move back if the opportunity presented itself.

[Stu8912]

I've always had a really, really bad impression of Waco. Thought of it as very similar to Killeen. Middle size town, overwhelmed with crime, an abandoned and dangerous downtown district, and little to redeem the negative factors.

That being said I've had a chance to explore it some this week and my views have flipped 180. I still don't know alot about it, but it's downtown was bustling with activity during the week. So much so I could hardly find parking. Clean with some good restaurants, neat looking shops, and a beautiful Riverside Park. I don't know how it is to live in Waco. But definitely has some nice areas to visit. Where before I thought it was a dying little town, I now think it has a lot of potential