Detailed Information about Kendrick, Waco, TX¶

This document provides detailed information about the Kendrick neighborhood in Waco, Texas, including demographics, housing, income, crime rates, history, and what the area is known for.

Geographic Location and Boundaries¶

Kendrick is located in south-central Waco, approximately 3–5 miles south of downtown and Baylor University via I-35. The neighborhood is primarily assigned ZIP code 76711, with a small number of addresses appearing under 76710 and 76712. It falls entirely within McLennan County.

Interstate 35 forms the western boundary of the neighborhood; the freeway's southbound lanes and service roads define the edge of residential Kendrick. Bagby Avenue runs north-south through the heart of the neighborhood as the primary residential and commercial spine. South New Road / South 1st Street runs roughly parallel east of I-35. Kendrick Lane is one of the key internal east-west residential streets, notable as the address of both Kendrick Elementary School and Kendrick Lane Baptist Church.

The neighborhood is bordered on the north by other South Waco communities, on the east by the Central Texas Marketplace commercial area (Loop 340 / Highway 6 corridor), and on the south by the Beverly Hills and Robinson suburban fringe. The City of Waco publishes an official neighborhood boundary map: Kendrick Map (PDF).

History¶

The Kendrick neighborhood takes its name from Kendrick Lane, the east-west residential street that bisects the southern portion of the neighborhood. The name likely traces to the Kendrick family, a prominent local name in McLennan County history with connections to early land settlement in the greater Waco area.

The neighborhood developed primarily in the post-World War II era. The original Kendrick Elementary School was built in 1952 at a cost of $373,559 and welcomed 303 students its first year — a clear marker of the neighborhood's residential growth during the 1950s boom. Most of the housing stock reflects this era: medium-to-small ranch-style homes built between 1940 and 1969, forming a cohesive mid-century streetscape along the shaded residential blocks.

The area developed as a working-class and middle-income residential community, and over subsequent decades became an anchor of South Waco's Hispanic community as Waco's demographics shifted. Today, Kendrick is one of the most culturally cohesive neighborhoods in the city — long-established, Spanish-bilingual, and with deep multigenerational roots.

By the 2000s–2010s, the neighborhood saw some investment along the Bagby Avenue corridor, including the development of Station at Cottonwood Creek (a 260-unit apartment complex, 2017) and the Hyatt Place Waco – South hotel (2024). The most transformative recent event was the demolition of the original 1952 school building in early 2024 and its replacement with a $47.4 million state-of-the-art campus, which opened in August 2025.

Demographics¶

Population: Approximately 8,922–9,659 residents (various neighborhood-level estimates, 2023–2025)
Population Density: Approximately 993 people per square mile (lower than average for Waco)
Median Age: Approximately 36 years
Gender: ~49% male, ~51% female
Ethnicity / Ancestry: The most common self-reported ancestry is Mexican (55.6%). Other groups include German (5.4%), Irish (4.0%), and Sub-Saharan African/African (1.7%). This is one of the highest Mexican-ancestry concentrations of any Waco neighborhood.
Language: English is the most common language (54.6% of households), with Spanish spoken in approximately 44.0% of households — reflecting the neighborhood's strongly bilingual character.
Citizenship: Approximately 82.3% are U.S.-born citizens; 6.4% are naturalized citizens; 11.2% are non-citizens.
Household Composition: Average household size not individually reported, but typical for South Waco working-class families.

Income and Poverty¶

Kendrick is classified as a lower-middle income neighborhood.

Average Annual Household Income: approximately $58,173
Median Household Income: approximately $46,735
This income level is lower than approximately 81.8% of U.S. neighborhoods.
Childhood Poverty: 27.6% of children in Kendrick live below the federal poverty line — higher than 79.3% of U.S. neighborhoods.
Unemployment Rate: Approximately 3% — relatively low, reflecting a working population oriented toward manufacturing, labor, and service employment.

Employment Profile¶

Manufacturing and Laborer occupations: 40.1% of the working population — the largest sector, reflecting the South Waco industrial employment base.
Sales and Service jobs: 26.3% of the working population.
These two sectors together account for over 66% of Kendrick residents' employment, giving the neighborhood a distinctly blue-collar economic character.

Housing¶

Kendrick's residential real estate consists primarily of small to medium-sized single-family homes and apartment complexes.

Construction Era: Most homes built 1940–1969; a notable share built 2000–present (reflecting some newer infill and the Station at Cottonwood Creek apartment complex, 2017).
Tenure: Approximately 51.4% owner-occupied, 48.7% renter-occupied — a nearly even split, consistent with a neighborhood in transition between longtime owners and newer renters.
Total Occupied Units: Approximately 3,859.
Price Ranges:
Fixer-uppers: $85,000–$150,000
Typical 3–4 bedroom ranch homes: $175,000–$300,000
Larger homes / estate-lot properties: $500,000–$700,000
Average Rental Rate: Approximately $1,798/month (NeighborhoodScout; lower than 48% of Texas neighborhoods).
Citywide Context: Waco's overall median home price is approximately $194,000–$218,000 (2025–2026 data), meaning Kendrick's entry-level pricing is competitive with and slightly below the city median.
Notable Rental Community: Station at Cottonwood Creek, 4900 Bagby Ave — 260 units (built 2017), 1–3 bedrooms, resort-style amenities (pool, fitness center, dog park, fire pit). See stationatcottonwoodcreek.com.

Crime Rates¶

Kendrick is considered one of Waco's safer neighborhoods.

CrimeGrade.org Rating: B- for property crime. Kendrick is in the 42nd percentile of safety city-wide, meaning 42% of Waco areas are safer and 58% are more dangerous — placing it in the better half of Waco neighborhoods.
Property Crime Rate: Approximately 11.19 per 1,000 residents per year — roughly half the Waco citywide average of 21.42 per 1,000.
Vandalism: Approximately 5.26 incidents per 1,000 residents annually.
Geographic Variation: Property crime is highest in the northern portion of Kendrick (chances of victimization approximately 1 in 61), while the southwestern portion is significantly safer (approximately 1 in 134). This north-south gradient likely reflects proximity to higher-traffic commercial corridors in the north vs. quieter residential streets in the south.
Citywide Context: Waco's overall crime rate is approximately 20–21% above the national average, but has been declining — down 11% in 2024 and 7.3% in 2025. Kendrick's crime profile is well below the city average.

Sources: CrimeGrade.org: Kendrick, Waco; CrimeGrade.org: Safest Places in Waco

What Kendrick is Known For¶

South Waco's Hispanic Heart: Kendrick is one of Waco's most authentically Hispanic neighborhoods — Spanish is spoken in nearly half of homes, and Mexican cultural identity is the dominant social fabric. The neighborhood exemplifies the South Waco community that has deep roots in the city's working-class history.
Kendrick Park: The neighborhood's anchor public park is one of the most well-equipped community parks in South Waco, featuring Waco's only splash pad in this ZIP code, a basketball court, tennis court, fitness stations, and a grass sports field. It is heavily used by neighborhood families, especially in summer.
Cottonwood Creek Golf Course: Waco's only City-operated 18-hole public golf course sits within the neighborhood at 5201 Bagby Ave. An accessible, affordable public amenity used by golfers from across the city.
Waco ISD Stadium: The 11,500-seat stadium at 1401 S. New Road is a civic landmark for Waco high school athletics, hosting University High School football home games and other district events.
New Kendrick Elementary (2025): The $47.4 million school that opened in August 2025 is the most visible symbol of investment in the neighborhood's future. The two-story, 93,000 sq. ft. campus replaced a 1952 building and is considered one of the most modern elementary school facilities in the Waco ISD system.
Affordability and Stability: Kendrick offers some of the most affordable homeownership opportunities in Waco, with entry-level single-family homes starting well below the city median, in a neighborhood with established infrastructure, public transit access, and proximity to I-35.
Bagby Avenue Corridor: The Bagby Avenue spine connects the neighborhood's residential interior to the golf course, the hotel corridor, and the Central Texas Marketplace shopping area, making it the commercial and social artery of this part of South Waco.

Community Organizations¶

Kendrick Neighborhood Association: Meets 6 PM, first Monday of every even-numbered month, at South Waco Community Center, 2815 Speight Ave, Waco, TX. Contact: City of Waco Office of Neighborhood Engagement, neighborhoods@wacotx.gov, (254) 750-5774.
South Waco Strong Neighborhood Team: A revitalization initiative led by Grassroots Community Development, focused on rebuilding neighborhood association capacity across South Waco including Kendrick. Contact: elise@grassrootswaco.org or (254) 235-7358.
Grassroots Community Development (1624 Colcord Ave, Waco, TX): Nonprofit providing free homeownership classes, counseling, leadership development, and affordable housing development in South Waco. See grassrootswaco.org.
Prosper Waco: Collective impact nonprofit tracking outcomes for education, health, and financial security across Waco. See prosperwaco.org.

Notable Recent Developments (2024–2026)¶

Year	Development	Details
May 2024	Kendrick Elementary groundbreaking	Construction begins on $47.4M replacement campus at 1801 Kendrick Lane
Aug 2024	Steel beam signing	Teachers and staff sign last steel beam before installation — a community milestone
2024	Hyatt Place Waco – South opens	New hotel at 5400 Bagby Ave, 76711, adjacent to the neighborhood
Aug 13, 2025	New Kendrick Elementary opens	Two-story, 93,000 sq. ft., 750-student capacity campus opens for 2025–26 school year
Sep 15, 2025	Kendrick Elementary dedication ceremony	Official dedication held; community and district leaders attend
2024–2025	Kendrick Neighborhood Association revitalization	South Waco Strong / Grassroots Community Development working to re-establish active NA
Ongoing	Station at Cottonwood Creek	260-unit apartment community (4900 Bagby Ave) continues as primary rental option