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EconPulse

Local economy signal dashboard

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PLACEStable

West, TX

Stable overall. Federal Funds is the clearest support signal, while population needs the most attention. Housing reads as affordable for a median-income household.

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Overall score60out of 100
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81
52
0
73
95

Population

2,576

Data freshness

Unknown

GDP / Output

+5.9% YoY

81

$18.5B

Output changed +5.9% in 2024.

Vintage date unknown

State growth5.0%
U.S. growth5.3%

Jobs

Unemployment rate

52

4.6%

Unemployment is 4.6% for June 2026.

Vintage date unknown

State avg4.4%
U.S. avg4.2%

Population

-10.5% 5-year

0

2,576

Population moved -10.5% over the latest ACS window.

Vintage date unknown

State population30,188,424
U.S. population334,922,499

Housing

Rent share of income

73

19.4%

Median rent consumes 19.4% of median household income: Affordable.

Vintage date unknown

State rent$1.4K
U.S. rent$1.4K
HUD_API_TOKEN missing; ACS median gross rent is used as the housing affordability fallback.

Federal Funds

$7.5K per resident

95

$1.9B

$1.9B in federal obligations flowed here in FY2025.

Vintage date unknown

State total$311.4B
U.S. total$5.3T

Population and output

Trend Snapshot

Reported share

Industry Breakdown

FY2025

Federal Money

Federal obligations

$1.9B

$7.5K per resident in reported federal flow.

Top agencies

Dollars
1. Social Security Administration$1.1B
2. Department of Veterans Affairs$303.9M
3. Department of Defense$196.5M

Top recipients

Dollars
1. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$130.5M
2. L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES INTEGRATED SYSTEMS L.P.$130.1M
3. TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE$51.2M

Affordable

Housing Affordability

19.4%

of median income

1BR estimate$822
2BR estimate$1,082
Median income$61,875
Median home value$182,900

ACS context

Quick Facts

Population

2,576

Median age

39.7

Bachelor's degree+

18.4%

Poverty rate

11.9%

Labor force participation

59.6%

Prime rate

6.8%

CPI YoY

+3.2%

U.S. GDP YoY

+6.5%

Sources and warnings

Data Provenance

Census ACS 5-year

2024

BLS LAUS / CPS

June 2026

BEA regional CAGDP1

2024

USAspending

FY2025

FRED

2026-07-30

HUD Fair Market Rent

Latest available

Data notes
  • HUD_API_TOKEN missing; ACS median gross rent is used as the housing affordability fallback.

5-year compound growth

Historical Trends

Population CAGR

-2.2%

GDP CAGR

+7.0%

Federal flow

5 years

Population (5 years)
20202,879
20212,557
20222,577
20232,571
20242,576
GDP (5 years)
2020$13.2B
2021$14.6B
2022$16.0B
2023$17.4B
2024$18.5B

2-year linear forecast

Predictive Outlook

Population forecast

20242,576
20252,454 *
20262,395 *

R² = 45.8% · * projected

GDP forecast

2024$18.5B
2025$20.0B *
2026$21.3B *

R² = 99.6% · * projected

Linear regression over available historical data. Projections are estimates based on past trends and do not account for policy changes, economic shocks, or other external factors.

housing affordability breakdown

Cost of Living

Median household income$61,875/yr
Median rent$1,002/mo
Rent share of income19.4%
Est. mortgage (30yr, 6.5%)$11,098/yr
Mortgage share of income17.9%

Rent data from Census ACS 5-year. Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 6.5% APR, 30-year fixed.

employment snapshot

Job Market

Unemployment rate4.6%
State avg4.4%
U.S. avg4.2%
Labor force participation59.6%
Poverty rate11.9%

Data from BLS LAUS / CPS. June 2026.

valuation snapshot

Real Estate

Median home value$182,900
Median monthly rent$1,002
Price-to-rent ratio15.2x

Moderate price-to-rent ratio — buying and renting are roughly balanced in this market.

composite score

Investment Climate

Investment climateModerate
Composite score52/100
Economic growth81/100
Labor market52/100
Population momentum0/100
Overall stability60/100

Composite score weighs economic growth, labor market health, population momentum, and overall stability. Not financial advice.

Location Context

West city, Texas

City/Town

Part of

Waco, TX

Nearby locations

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