Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
Overall, living costs in Slidell, LA and Waco, TX are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Waco works out to about $75,100 in Slidell, before taxes.
Housing is 2.3% higher in Slidell, goods 0.1% lower and other services 0.6% lower, which roughly cancel out.
Zillow does not publish typical rent for Slidell, so rents are not compared here.
The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Slidell was 3.8% more expensive than Waco.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's
spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Overall prices are about the same in Waco and Slidell
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
Waco, TX
Slidell, LA
708090100
All items
Waco, TX: 92.6 Slidell, LA: 92.7
Goods
Waco, TX: 93.8 Slidell, LA: 93.7
Housing (rents)
Waco, TX: 83.5 Slidell, LA: 85.4
Utilities
Waco, TX: 81.0 Slidell, LA: 71.7
Other services
Waco, TX: 96.2 Slidell, LA: 95.7
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
Waco, TX
Slidell, LA
All items
92.6
92.7
Goods
93.8
93.7
Housing (rents)
83.5
85.4
Utilities
81.0
71.7
Other services
96.2
95.7
Category
Waco
Slidell
Slidell vs Waco
All items
92.6
92.7
+0.2%
Goods
93.8
93.7
−0.1%
Housing (rents)
83.5
85.4
+2.3%
Utilities
81.0
71.7
−11.5%
Other services
96.2
95.7
−0.6%
Salary to match $75,000 in Waco
$75,000
$75,100
+0.2%
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Waco and Slidell has narrowed since 2008: 3.2 points then, 0.2 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
Waco, TX
Slidell, LA
90939598100
US average = 100
20082012201620202024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
Waco, TX
Slidell, LA
2008
93.5
96.7
2009
91.9
95.8
2010
93.0
95.9
2011
93.4
97.2
2012
94.7
97.6
2013
93.1
99.0
2014
94.2
97.8
2015
94.6
97.7
2016
94.2
98.7
2017
93.2
98.9
2018
91.8
94.2
2019
92.3
95.8
2020
93.4
95.7
2021
94.1
93.9
2022
92.9
93.2
2023
91.1
92.9
2024
92.6
92.7
Goods
Waco, TX
Slidell, LA
708090100110
US = 100
200820162024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
Waco, TX
Slidell, LA
2008
96.6
97.1
2009
94.6
95.0
2010
96.6
96.9
2011
96.5
96.9
2012
96.3
97.2
2013
96.8
97.3
2014
96.7
98.0
2015
96.1
96.9
2016
96.6
97.3
2017
96.5
97.1
2018
94.4
93.6
2019
96.2
95.1
2020
96.2
94.6
2021
96.2
95.2
2022
93.7
94.0
2023
92.9
93.0
2024
93.8
93.7
Housing (rents)
Waco, TX
Slidell, LA
708090100110
US = 100
200820162024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
Waco, TX
Slidell, LA
2008
76.3
92.4
2009
74.4
95.8
2010
73.4
86.1
2011
74.5
91.0
2012
79.0
92.4
2013
70.9
101.7
2014
75.7
91.7
2015
78.2
91.7
2016
73.8
93.4
2017
74.6
101.1
2018
75.1
86.3
2019
75.3
96.1
2020
76.1
89.8
2021
81.1
78.2
2022
82.9
80.1
2023
77.3
86.9
2024
83.5
85.4
Utilities
Waco, TX
Slidell, LA
708090100110
US = 100
200820162024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
Waco, TX
Slidell, LA
2008
98.0
89.5
2009
92.6
73.9
2010
93.6
81.4
2011
89.1
78.9
2012
88.3
74.1
2013
89.2
79.8
2014
93.1
79.7
2015
91.2
78.1
2016
87.2
77.5
2017
82.7
77.0
2018
83.4
76.5
2019
85.2
77.4
2020
85.5
76.6
2021
84.8
81.4
2022
86.6
84.4
2023
88.6
76.8
2024
81.0
71.7
Other services
Waco, TX
Slidell, LA
708090100110
US = 100
200820162024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).