Why a Waco, Texas, Resident Doesn’t Tell Fans Where Chip and Joanna Gaines Live

HGTV’s most famous couple, Chip and Joanna Gaines, have certainly done their part to breathe new life into Waco, Texas. Fixer Upper fans countrywide flock to Waco to see the Silos and eat the couple’s delicious food at their restaurant and bakery. Unfortunately, some locals aren’t thrilled with Chip and Joanna. Here’s why one resident doesn’t tell fans where to find the couple.

Where do Chip and Joanna Gaines live now?

Chip and Joanna Gaines live full-time in Waco, Texas, in 2023. The 1700-square-foot farmhouse they initially purchased in 2012 is perfect for the Fixer Upper couple and their five kids, as it sits on 40 acres of land. While Chip and Joanna seem to love Waco and the community they continue to build in the small city, they’ve discussed other options for their future.

“Waco is our meet in the middle spot: half big city, half tropical – maybe not,” Chip told People. “We talk about it. We’ve been to Kansas City a lot recently and have just fallen in love with that community … Salt Lake, every time we go there it just kind of really inspires us. Obviously New York City for Jo. There are a few cities across the country that we would possibly consider if Waco did not work out.” 

A Waco, Texas, resident doesn’t tell ‘Fixer Upper’ fans where the famous couple live

Many Waco, Texas, residents are open to the tourism that Chip and Joanna Gaines brought to their community. But others believe the Fixer Upper couple’s stronghold on the city has caused Waco to lose some of its charm.

A journalist with Insider spoke to restaurant server Robyn Ritter working in downtown Waco. Ritter said she lived in the Waco area on and off for two decades, and she frequently deals with tourism due to the location of the cafe she works at. Tourists will often ask Ritter where Chip and Joanna live, and she won’t tell them, as she believes Waco is so much more than just the Gaines family.

“Waco isn’t Magnolia,” she explained. It’s a town that’s really complicated.”

While she doesn’t want tourists to focus solely on Magnolia, she admits that Waco remains “a great place to live. The growing pains are just harder than I expected.”

Luke Whyte, a Fixer Upper affiliate who owns Waco Tours, also talked about respecting Chip and Joanna’s “privacy” despite running tours that showcase Magnolia. “We want to showcase our city, not because of the fame and notoriety of individuals, but because of the story that we think matters to all people coming through town,” he said.

The population of Waco continues to increase

Chip and Joanna Gaines’ domination over Waco, Texas, has caused a population boom. Insider reports the Fixer Upper couple’s tourism draw has caused the population in Waco to increase steadily since 2015. According to data from the Waco Snapshot Report, 129,193 lived in the city. In 2019, that number rose to 135,858. In 2021, the number rose again to 139,594.

Hopefully, the Gaines family can strike a balance with the locals and the tourists to keep the small city of Waco in perfect balance — but it certainly seems like some longtime Waco residents have mixed feelings.

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