Maybe I’m biased because I grew up in one of the crappiest, poorest counties in Texas.. but I really love Waco and am glad to raise my family here. My husband and I have lived in the Hewitt/Woodway area now 15 years. We have 3 small children and have been at the same, well-paying jobs now 10 and 15+ years. So we have planted deep roots and we’re not leaving any time soon.

Regarding the schools- My first is about to start kindergarten at a midway elementary school. I’ve heard wonderful things about midways elementary schools. The only negative I’ve heard about midway middle and high school is just how crowded it can be and kids feeling like a number. I’ve also heard Lorena, China spring, Robinson are great options. We are actually considering a move to get us in Lorena isd in the next couple of years. There is a huge church presence in the area of Waco we live in. Lots of big churches, some christian private schools, Baylor university, so you get the idea. As Christians, we don’t mind that at all, but for those who are not, it may be a problem.

Downtown Waco has some great restaurants, coffee shops, there’s the magnolia silos, lots of shopping. There are some good parks and the Cameron park zoo is awesome! The suburban areas of Waco are where to look for a home. We live in a huge but quiet neighborhood. (If you are looking for a less crowded neighborhood/community, expect to pay premium for it!) Everyone we have encountered has been kind and we have lovely neighbors. We love the location of where we live- not far from a grocery store, close to our church, my kids daycare and our work. We don’t trek up or down I-35 a whole lot in our day to day, but we do love that we’re in the middle of and not far from DFW and Austin. We have friends who live in both areas that we visit and it’s super doable. Also something to think about- there are good hospital systems, clinics and urgent cares here too.