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Bethany vs Houston

232 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+80% in Bethany) and growth since 2010 (+11.4 pts in Houston).

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Bethany, MOHomes around $138KMissouri · 3,080 people

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Houston, MOOne of the safest townsMissouri · 2,226 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.

BethanyHomes around $138K

Housing$138K typical home48% below the MO typical home Health79% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Bethany →

HoustonOne of the safest towns

SafetySafer than 3%of U.S. towns we grade Health95% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Work1,918 jobsbased in Houston, a regional job hub All about Houston →

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+80%

Tax bills are bigger in Bethany

Bethany $1,132Houston $628

Growth since 2010+11.4 pts

Houston has grown faster since 2010

Houston -0.1%Bethany -11.5%

Work from home+11.3 pts

More people work from home in Bethany

Bethany 15.3%Houston 4%

Jobs per worker2.1×

Houston is more of a job hub

Houston 2.72Bethany 1.30

Average commute5 min

Houston has the shorter commute

Bethany 18 minHouston 13 min

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $240 more a month in Houston

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%

Bethany$830/mo

Typical home $138K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.93% · or rent about $700/mo · Housing →

Houston$1,070/mo

Typical home $188K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.55% · or rent about $698/mo · Housing →

The difference: $240 a month, about $2,900 a year, between Houston and Bethany.

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

–BethanyNot graded D−HoustonSafer than 3% of U.S. towns

Health

C−BethanyHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns DHoustonHealthier than 5% 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

BethanyHouston

Snow a year21″4″

January low16°F 24°F

July high87°F 87°F

Growing season (days)186d 194d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)57th 52nd

Outdoors & history

BethanyHouston

Trails1 mi 0 mi

Conserved land1.1%0.3%

Settled1860 1857

National Register places1 2

Archive photos2 5

Famous people born here2 2

Community

BethanyHouston

Library hours a week33 hrs 44 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

232 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BethanyMO HoustonMO

Bethany ↔ Houston232 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

BethanyHouston

People

Population 3,080Highest 2,226Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -11.5%Lowest MO: +2.8% -0.1%Highest MO: +2.8%

Median age 43.8±7.5Highest 12% above MO 42.3±9.5Lowest 8% above MO

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

Kids under 18 23.2%±5.9Highest MO: 22.3% 19.1%±5.1Lowest MO: 22.3%

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

Age 65+ 26.1%±4.8Highest MO: 17.9% 18.3%±3.6Lowest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.5%Highest MO: 32.4% 16%Lowest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.9%±1.7Highest MO: 5.7% 1.2%±1.4Lowest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $48,375±$12kHighest 32% below MO $40,000±$7kLowest 43% below MO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $121,700±$31kHighest 47% below MO $114,400±$26kLowest 50% below MO

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $700±$76Highest 32% below MO $698±$96Lowest 32% below MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,132Highest 42% below MO $628Lowest 68% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49%±19.2Lowest MO: 45.6% 62.4%±11.8Highest MO: 45.6%

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

Below poverty line 17.1%Lowest MO: 12.6% 30%Highest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 56.4%Highest MO: 68.1% 54.2%Lowest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1961Lowest 17 yrs older than MO 1966Highest 12 yrs older than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minHighest 25% below MO 13 minLowest 46% below MO

Work from home 15.3%±6.6Highest MO: 13% 4%±2.9Lowest MO: 13%

Work in townworking residents 33.9%Highest 32.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.3 miHighest 20.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.30Lowest 2.72Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (8%)Springfield (7%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HoustonFew work in Bethany

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.1%Highest 0.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 58.7Highest 52.1Lowest

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.

Bethany neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bethany’s Town Square.

Houston neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Houston’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Bethany and Houston

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

Towns like Bethany

Bethany Township3,312 people · $122K homes

Portageville2,825 people · $152K homes

Salem4,677 people · $115K homes

Mountain View2,658 people · $124K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Missouri 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.