Economic Development

Waco: A Great Place to Bring Your Business!

Why Waco?

Convenience

  • Just 90 minutes to/from Austin & Dallas
  • 185 miles to Houston & San Antonio
  • Just 3 hours to 85% of Texas population

Workforce

  • 5 local colleges & universities
  • 75,000 students within 60 minutes
  • Advanced education high school programs

Jobs

  • #2 in Texas in job growth
  • #7 nationally in job growth
  • We have surpassed pre-covid employment numbers

Tourism

  • 1.7 Million tourists visited in 2021 (over 45% tourism growth)
  • Over 1 million hotel rooms booked annually
  • 2nd ranked hotel occupancy rate in Texas
  • A top-ranked Texas travel destination

Resources & Incentives

We provide many local incentives to attract business and industry and encourage quality development of all kinds -- from downtown revitalization, to residential development, to retail and commercial, to traditional industrial and manufacturing incentives.

Federal

  • Foreign Trade Zones
  • Opportunity Zones

State

  • Enterprise Fund
  • Enterprise Zone
  • Industrial Revenue Bonds
  • NAFTA Incentive
  • Product Development & Small Business Fund
  • Skills Development Fund
  • Skills Recruit Texas

Local

  • Tax Abatement
  • Business Grant
  • WMCEDC Grant
  • Tax Increment Financing (TIF)/ Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ)

Get Started

We want to hear from you! We are a strong community in the Heart of Texas with prime access to I-35 and connections to Austin, Houston, Dallas, & Fort Worth.

Waco offers room for growth, access to a highly skilled workforce, five local colleges, and our City leadership prioritizes economic development. Come and see why so many businesses love to call Waco home!

Ready to get started?

Contact us for assistance in moving or starting your business to Waco!