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.

Safety

CBeltonSafer than 27% of U.S. towns B+OzarkSafer than 71% of U.S. towns

Schools

C+BeltonBetter than 35% of districts in the state A+OzarkBetter than 95% of districts in the state

Health

C+BeltonHealthier than 36% of U.S. towns BOzarkHealthier than 59% of U.S. towns

8Belton

15Ozark

Lists won, of 23 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #157#1 Best schoolsSchools · 226 towns #162#17 SafestSafety · 156 towns #93#18 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 85 towns #66#26 Lowest obesityHealth · 261 towns #179#68 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #106#196 Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #74#155 Fastest growingGrowth · 260 towns #102#27

Left end = #1 in Missouri. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Belton’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $230 more a month in Ozark

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%

Belton$1,660/mo

Typical home $275K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.94% · or rent about $1,290/mo · Housing →

Ozark$1,890/mo

Typical home $321K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.76% · or rent about $1,097/mo · Housing →

The difference: $230 a month, about $2,700 a year, between Ozark and Belton.

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.

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

BeltonOzark

Snow a year9″7″

January low—21°F

July high—89°F

Growing season (days)—189d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)32nd 44th

Outdoors & history

BeltonOzark

Trails4 mi 2 mi

Conserved land3.3%1.5%

Settled1871 1818

National Register places—2

Archive photos20 12

Famous people born here3 1

Community

BeltonOzark

Library hours a week61 hrs 58 hrs

Colleges in town—1

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

143 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BeltonMO OzarkMO

Belton ↔ Ozark143 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 Missouri average

BeltonOzark

People

Population 25,008Highest 22,417Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.6%Lowest MO: +2.8% +19.4%Highest MO: +2.8%

Median age 36.8±1.9Highest 6% below MO 33.8±1.6Lowest 13% below MO

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

Kids under 18 24.1%±2.2Lowest MO: 22.3% 27.9%±2.8Highest MO: 22.3%

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

Age 65+ 14.5%±1.7Lowest MO: 17.9% 14.6%±2Highest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.6%Lowest MO: 32.4% 30.7%Highest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±1Lowest MO: 5.7% 4%±1Highest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $69,226±$5kLowest about the MO average $74,182±$6kHighest 5% above MO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $203,200±$11kLowest 12% below MO $254,800±$14kHighest 11% above MO

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,290±$97Highest 25% above MO $1,097±$84Lowest 6% above MO

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,918Lowest about the MO average $1,926Highest about the MO average

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.2%±9.3Highest MO: 45.6% 38.1%±5.5Lowest MO: 45.6%

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

Below poverty line 9.7%Lowest MO: 12.6% 12.6%Highest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 59%Lowest MO: 68.1% 62.6%Highest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1987Lowest 9 yrs newer than MO 2002Highest 24 yrs newer than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 6% above MO 24 minLowest about the MO average

Work from home 11.8%±2.5Highest MO: 13% 8%±1.9Lowest MO: 13%

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

Work in townworking residents 10.3%Lowest 11%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miHighest 11.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.73Lowest 0.75Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (26%)Springfield (52%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in OzarkFew work in Belton

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.3%Highest 1.5%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 3.6 miHighest 2.1 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Highest 2Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 65.8Lowest 68.9Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #162 of 226 in MO #17 of 226 in MO

School district BELTON 124OZARK R-VI

High school in town Belton HighOzark High

Students per teacherat that high school 13.7Lowest 14.9Highest

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.

Belton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Belton’s Town Square.

Ozark neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ozark’s Town Square.

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Bordering Belton

+ Compare

Kansas City510,612 people · $243K homes

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Loch Lloyd950 people · $1.06M homes

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Raymore24,526 people · $339K homes

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Grandview26,527 people · $189K homes

Towns like Belton

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Hazelwood25,114 people · $167K homes

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Republic19,829 people · $212K homes

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Sikeston16,320 people · $169K homes

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Festus13,201 people · $224K 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.

Belton vs Ozark

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Ozark places higher on 15 of 23 MO lists

A typical home costs $230 more a month in Ozark

What daily life feels like in each

143 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Belton and Ozark

Bordering Belton

Towns like Belton

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