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Bells vs Sweeny

319 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3× in Sweeny) and growth since 2010 (+10.9 pts in Bells).

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Bells, TXOne of the safest townsTexas · 2,497 people

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Sweeny, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 3,591 people

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.

BellsOne of the safest towns

SafetySafer than 95%of U.S. towns we grade SchoolsBetter than 91%of TX districts Housing$367K typical home22% above the TX typical home All about Bells →

SweenyKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 51%of TX districts

Outdoors#94 most walkable in TX0.5 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves Housing$246K typical home18% below the TX typical home All about Sweeny →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Sweeny has the more walkable street grid

Sweeny 101Bells 34.1

Growth since 2010+10.9 pts

Bells has grown faster since 2010

Bells +9.3%Sweeny -1.6%

Property tax bill+41%

Tax bills are bigger in Bells

Bells $3,911Sweeny $2,777

Age 65++10.4 pts

Sweeny has more people 65 and up

Sweeny 18.1%Bells 7.7%

Sweeny has more miles of trail

Sweeny 0.5 miBells 0.3 mi

Typical home built14 yrs

Sweeny’s homes are older

Bells 1986Sweeny 1972

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $860 more a month in Bells

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.

Down paymentRate%

Bells$2,440/mo

Typical home $367K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.68% · or rent about $981/mo · Housing →

Sweeny$1,570/mo

Typical home $246K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.39% · or rent about $1,203/mo · Housing →

The difference: $860 a month, about $10,300 a year, between Bells and Sweeny.

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 Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

A+BellsSafer than 95% of U.S. towns B−SweenySafer than 54% of U.S. towns

Schools

ABellsBetter than 91% of districts in the state B−SweenyBetter than 51% of districts in the state

Health

BBellsHealthier than 65% of U.S. towns C+SweenyHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns

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

BellsSweeny

Snow a year1″0″

January low33°F 47°F

July high94°F 91°F

Growing season (days)242d 333d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th 74th

Outdoors & history

BellsSweeny

Conserved land—1.7%

Community

BellsSweeny

Library hours a week—41 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

Where they are

319 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BellsTX SweenyTX

Bells ↔ Sweeny319 miles apart

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.

Only big differences vs Texas average

BellsSweeny

People

Population 2,497Lowest 3,591Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +9.3%Highest TX: +15.9% -1.6%Lowest TX: +15.9%

Median age 33.6±4.7Highest 6% below TX 32.3±5.4Lowest 9% below TX

Bells and Sweeny are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 32.9%±7.1Highest TX: 25% 24.3%±11.8Lowest TX: 25%

Bells and Sweeny are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 7.7%±2.8Lowest TX: 13.4% 18.1%±5.7Highest TX: 13.4%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.7%Highest TX: 33.8% 23.5%Lowest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±2.6Highest TX: 6.2% 2.8%±3.1Lowest TX: 6.2%

Bells and Sweeny are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $92,075±$15kHighest 17% above TX $73,457±$35kLowest 6% below TX

Bells and Sweeny are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $232,400±$25kHighest 18% below TX $199,100±$20kLowest 30% below TX

Bells and Sweeny are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $981±$436Lowest 30% below TX $1,203±$190Highest 14% below TX

Sweeny and Bells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,911Highest 8% below TX $2,777Lowest 34% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 59.3%±21.8Highest TX: 51.7% 24.5%±16.4Lowest TX: 51.7%

Bells and Sweeny are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 11.9%Highest TX: 13.8% 3.3%Lowest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 70.1%Lowest TX: 62.6% 73.9%Highest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1986Highest 6 yrs older than TX 1972Lowest 20 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 30 minLowest 13% above TX 32 minHighest 20% above TX

Work from home 13.2%±6.2Lowest TX: 14.4% 16%±10.2Highest TX: 14.4%

Sweeny and Bells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 4.9%Lowest 10.6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.3 miLowest 35.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.61Lowest 0.71Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Sherman (20%)Houston (18%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SweenyFew work in Bells

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.7%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miLowest 0.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 34.1Lowest 101Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#312 of 583 in TX

School district BELLS ISDSWEENY ISD

High school in town Bells H SSweeny H S

Students per teacherat that high school 10.4Lowest 12.0Highest

Texas 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.

Bells neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bells’s Town Square.

Sweeny neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sweeny’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Bells

Troy2,844 people · $202K homes

Sour Lake2,130 people · $174K homes

Caddo Mills3,340 people · $300K homes

Ferris3,238 people · $262K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.