Chip and Joanna Gaines Are ‘Proud’ of Their ‘Impact’ on Waco, Texas, Despite Resident Woes

HGTV fans know Chip and Joanna Gaines well. The couple attained fame via Fixer Upper and continued their Magnolia empire in Waco, Texas. Now, Waco is the home to many Gaines family business ventures, including Magnolia Market at the Silos, restaurants, coffee shops, and real estate. Chip and Joanna are incredibly proud of everything they’ve brought to Waco — but not every resident’s happy.

Chip and Joanna Gaines are ‘proud’ of how much they’ve accomplished in Waco, Texas

There’s no doubt that Chip and Joanna Gaines have worked hard to build Waco, Texas, into a destination. The Fixer Upper couple breathed new life into the sleepy city, and fans from across the country now wait in lines to try the Gaines family restaurants and tour the silos.

The couple expressed just how proud they are to have elevated the town. They spoke to Variety about how they believe they’re helping the housing crisis by bringing wealth to Waco.

“The whole objective would be for us to be 80 and not say to ourselves, ‘But we’ve got all these trusts built and our great-great-great-great-grandkids are now taken care of.’ To the contrary, we would prefer to be on that rocking chair on our front porch, saying, ‘I’m proud of the impact that we’ve had here,'” Chip shared.

“The intention has been the same from the beginning: We care about people. We care about the time they spend with us, and we hope that they leave inspired to go do whatever it is that sparks joy in their life,” Joanna added.

Many residents in the small city have mixed feelings about the ‘Fixer Upper’ couple

Chip and Joanna Gaines believe in their personal mission. Overall, they think they’ve brought a lot of good to Waco, Texas. But not all of the residents in Waco feel that way.

Insider reports the Fixer Upper couple changing the small city may have worked against the residents, as property taxes increased. With more fans hoping to get their hands on a Fixer Upper home, the residents with less wealth are pushed aside. Amarillo, College Station, and Odessa — other Texas cities comparable to Waco — have a higher median household income and lower poverty rates.

There’s also a significant wealth disparity between white and black households. In 2019, the median household income for white residents was $48,915, whereas it was $26,464 for Black residents.

“Now when I tell people I live in Waco, all they think of is Chip and Joanna,” a Waco waiter told the Insider reporter. “And it’s sad.”

Can you see Chip and Joanna Gaines in Waco, Texas?

While Chip and Joanna Gaines are unlikely to invite Fixer Upper fans into their personal home, fans visiting Waco, Texas, can sometimes catch them at Magnolia Market or their restaurant, Magnolia Table. A fan on Tripadvisor said they unexpectedly saw Chip.

“Rarely do you ever see them at the Silos,” the fan wrote. “They are there, though. On a rare occasion, Chip has stepped out on the stairwell and will wave or give a shout out to the crowd below. Good to remember that they are super busy these days with all their business ventures and filming.”

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