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Athens Township vs Cooper Township

Next-door neighbors in Gentry County. The biggest differences: trails (8.3× in Cooper Township) and rent (+52% in Cooper Township).

A ×
Athens Township, MOOne of the healthiest townsGentry County · 2,232 people
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Cooper Township, MOOne of the healthiest townsGentry County · 1,765 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Athens TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health83% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 29%of MO districts All about Athens Township →
Cooper TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health84% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Cooper Township →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails8.3×
Cooper Township has more miles of trail
Cooper Township 3.3 miAthens Township 0.4 mi
Rent+52%
Rent runs higher in Cooper Township
Cooper Township $834Athens Township $550
Work in town+11.6 pts
More of Athens Township’s workers stay in town
Athens Township 27.2%Cooper Township 15.6%
Property tax bill+21%
Tax bills are bigger in Cooper Township
Cooper Township $1,338Athens Township $1,110
Growth since 2010+4.5 pts
Athens Township has grown faster since 2010
Athens Township -4.3%Cooper Township -8.8%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $180 more a month in Cooper Township

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Athens Township$680/mo
Typical home $111K (Census) · tax rate 1.00% · or rent about $550/mo · Housing →
Cooper Township$850/mo
Typical home $141K (Census) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $834/mo · Housing →

The difference: $180 a month, about $2,100 a year, between Cooper Township and Athens Township.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Missouri ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
CAthens TownshipBetter than 29% of districts in the state BCooper TownshipBetter than 58% of districts in the state
Health
C−Athens TownshipHealthier than 17% of U.S. towns C−Cooper TownshipHealthier than 16% of U.S. towns
Where they are

Athens Township and Cooper Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Athens TownshipCooper TownshipAthens TownshipCooper Township
Athens Township ↔ Cooper Township12 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Athens TownshipCooper Township
Snow a year21″19″
January low16°F15°F
July high87°F86°F
Growing season (days)186d184d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)63rd62nd
Outdoors & history
Athens TownshipCooper Township
Trails—3 mi
Conserved land—0%
National Register places1—
Archive photos—3
Community
Athens TownshipCooper Township
Library hours a week48 hrs41 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Athens TownshipCooper Township
People
Population 2,232Highest 1,765Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.3%Highest MO: +2.8% -8.8%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 39.8±3.5Lowest about the MO average 40.7±3.1Highest 4% above MO
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.1%±3.2Lowest MO: 22.3% 25.7%±3.9Highest MO: 22.3%
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.9%±3.4Lowest MO: 17.9% 20.4%±3.3Highest MO: 17.9%
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22.9%Highest MO: 32.4% 19.9%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.9%±1.2Lowest MO: 5.7% 2%±1.1Highest MO: 5.7%
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $49,250±$8kLowest 30% below MO $53,173±$24kHighest 25% below MO
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $111,200±$18kLowest 52% below MO $141,100±$28kHighest 39% below MO
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $550±$70Lowest 47% below MO $834±$168Highest 19% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,110Lowest 43% below MO $1,338Highest 31% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 26.3%±11.6Lowest MO: 45.6% 37.9%±15.2Highest MO: 45.6%
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 16.8%Lowest MO: 12.6% 23.5%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 70.1%Lowest MO: 68.1% 71.5%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1972Highest 6 yrs older than MO 1969Lowest 9 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 min 19% below MO 19 min 19% below MO
Work from home 6.8%±3.9Lowest MO: 13% 12.8%±5.9Highest MO: 13%
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 27.2%Highest 15.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 29.3 miLowest 33.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.95Highest 0.76Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Albany (27%)St. Joseph (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Cooper TownshipFew work in Athens Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miLowest 3.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 4.5Highest 3.3Lowest
Schools
School district ALBANY R-IIISTANBERRY R-II
High school in town Albany HighStanberry High
Students per teacherat that high school 11.4Highest 9.7Lowest
Missouri average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Athens Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Athens Township’s Town Square.

Cooper Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cooper Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Athens Township

H
+ Compare
Huggins Township53 people
M
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Miller Township388 people · $138K homes
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Howard Township60 people
W
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White Oak Township302 people · $84K homes

Towns like Athens Township

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Albany1,909 people · $101K homes
C
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Chaffee3,026 people · $117K homes
+ Compare
Memphis1,782 people · $133K homes
S
+ Compare
Shelbina1,653 people · $86K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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