Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Bernie vs Tarkio

392 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+90% in Tarkio) and typical home built (15 yrs in Tarkio).

×
Bernie, MOOne of the healthiest townsMissouri · 1,725 people
×
Tarkio, MOHomes around $127KMissouri · 1,471 people
Swap order
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.

BernieOne of the healthiest towns
Health94% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$115K typical home57% below the MO typical home SafetySafer than 78%of U.S. towns we grade All about Bernie →
TarkioHomes around $127K
Housing$127K typical home53% below the MO typical home Health84% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 64%of MO districts All about Tarkio →
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.

Property tax bill+90%
Tax bills are bigger in Tarkio
Tarkio $1,197Bernie $630
Typical home built15 yrs
Tarkio’s homes are older
Bernie 1973Tarkio 1958
Bachelor’s degree++8 pts
More adults in Tarkio have a degree
Tarkio 23.1%Bernie 15.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Bernie$670/mo
Typical home $115K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $768/mo · Housing →
Tarkio$810/mo
Typical home $127K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.36% · or rent about $660/mo · Housing →

The difference: $140 a month, about $1,700 a year, between Tarkio and Bernie.

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.

Safety
A−BernieSafer than 78% of U.S. towns –TarkioNot graded
Schools
–BernieNot graded BTarkioBetter than 64% of districts in the state
Health
DBernieHealthier than 6% of U.S. towns C−TarkioHealthier than 16% 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
BernieTarkio
Snow a year3″30″
January low28°F14°F
July high91°F87°F
Growing season (days)225d167d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th74th
Outdoors & history
BernieTarkio
Settled18901880
National Register places—3
Archive photos6—
Famous people born here1—
Community
BernieTarkio
Library hours a week30 hrs26 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.

Where they are

392 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BernieMOTarkioMO
Bernie ↔ Tarkio392 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.

BernieTarkio
People
Population 1,725Highest 1,471Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.1%Lowest MO: +2.8% -4.9%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 46.7±3.7Lowest 20% above MO 51±5.8Highest 31% above MO
Tarkio and Bernie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.5%±3.2Highest MO: 22.3% 17.7%±3.6Lowest MO: 22.3%
Bernie and Tarkio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.9%±4.7Lowest MO: 17.9% 25.1%±2.5Highest MO: 17.9%
Tarkio and Bernie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.1%Lowest MO: 32.4% 23.1%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.5%±1Lowest MO: 5.7% 3.1%±1.5Highest MO: 5.7%
Tarkio and Bernie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $48,438±$8kLowest 31% below MO $56,927±$10kHighest 19% below MO
Tarkio and Bernie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $98,100±$15kHighest 57% below MO $87,800±$6kLowest 62% below MO
Bernie and Tarkio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $768±$92Highest 26% below MO $660±$71Lowest 36% below MO
Bernie and Tarkio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $630Lowest 68% below MO $1,197Highest 39% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 39.4%±5.9Highest MO: 45.6% 28.9%±8.5Lowest MO: 45.6%
Bernie and Tarkio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 24.1%Highest MO: 12.6% 14.4%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.4% MO: 68.1% 73.4% MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1973Highest 5 yrs older than MO 1958Lowest 20 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 10% below MO 23 minHighest about the MO average
Work from home 1.4%±1.3Lowest MO: 13% 3.8%±2.6Highest MO: 13%
Tarkio and Bernie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 10.1%Lowest 17.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miLowest 21.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.55Lowest 0.57Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Dexter (15%)Rock Port (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TarkioFew work in Bernie
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 131Highest 106Lowest
Schools
School district —TARKIO R-I
High school in town —Tarkio JH and High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 8.8
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.

Bernie neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bernie’s Town Square.

Tarkio neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Tarkio’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Bernie and Tarkio

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Bernie

J
+ Compare
Jackson Township1,777 people · $124K homes
D
+ Compare
Davis Township1,124 people · $95K homes
H
+ Compare
Huntsville1,672 people · $111K homes
+ Compare
La Plata1,351 people · $106K 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.

Post to Bernie

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in