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Benjamin vs Mertens

199 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (25 min in Benjamin) and property tax bill (+90% in Mertens).

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Benjamin, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 266 people

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Mertens, TXHomes around $204KTexas · 123 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.

BenjaminKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 85%of TX districts All about Benjamin →

MertensHomes around $204K

Housing$204K typical home32% below the TX typical home All about Mertens →

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.

Average commute25 min

Benjamin has the shorter commute

Mertens 49 minBenjamin 24 min

Property tax bill+90%

Tax bills are bigger in Mertens

Mertens $1,600Benjamin $844

Typical home built20 yrs

Benjamin’s homes are older

Mertens 1975Benjamin 1955

Street grid+63%

Benjamin has the more walkable street grid

Benjamin 75.3Mertens 46.1

Benjamin is the bigger place

Benjamin 266Mertens 123

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $980 more a month in Mertens

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%

Benjamin$400/mo

Typical home $63K (Census) · tax rate 1.34% · or rent about $527/mo · Housing →

Mertens$1,380/mo

Typical home $204K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.82% · or rent about $630/mo · Housing →

The difference: $980 a month, about $11,800 a year, between Mertens and Benjamin.

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.

Schools

ABenjaminBetter than 85% of districts in the state –MertensNot graded

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

BenjaminMertens

Snow a year1″0″

January low30°F —

July high97°F —

Growing season (days)227d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)39th 23rd

Community

BenjaminMertens

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

199 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BenjaminTX MertensTX

Benjamin ↔ Mertens199 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

BenjaminMertens

People

Population 266Highest 123Lowest

Median age 25.5±11.5Lowest 28% below TX 30.3±1.5Highest 15% below TX

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

Kids under 18 46.6%±2.1Highest TX: 25% 26.8%±28.9Lowest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 9%±11.6Lowest TX: 13.4% 13.8%±30.4Highest TX: 13.4%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.1%Highest TX: 33.8% 9%Lowest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±8Lowest TX: 6.2% 3.3%±13Highest TX: 6.2%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $52,708±$13kHighest 33% below TX $43,000±$14kLowest 45% below TX

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $62,900±$26kLowest 78% below TX $88,000±$14kHighest 69% below TX

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $527±$179Lowest 62% below TX $630±$112Highest 55% below TX

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $844Lowest 80% below TX $1,600Highest 62% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 TX: 51.7% 0%±100 TX: 51.7%

Below poverty line 4%Lowest TX: 13.8% 10.9%Highest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 60.4%Highest TX: 62.6% 54.5%Lowest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1955Lowest 37 yrs older than TX 1975Highest 17 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 9% below TX 49 minHighest 83% above TX

Work from home 0%±16.5 TX: 14.4% 0%±30.6 TX: 14.4%

Work in townworking residents 1.5%Highest 0%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 77.3 miHighest 48.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.22Highest 0.00Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Knox City (15%)Hillsboro (13%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MertensFew work in Benjamin

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 75.3Highest 46.1Lowest

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.

Benjamin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Benjamin’s Town Square.

Mertens neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mertens’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Benjamin

Kennard270 people · $105K homes

Richland Springs362 people · $83K homes

Chillicothe479 people · $66K homes

Buckholts374 people · $76K 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.