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

D−BridgetonSafer than 3% of U.S. towns B+KearneySafer than 66% of U.S. towns

Schools

DBridgetonBetter than 13% of districts in the state AKearneyBetter than 93% of districts in the state

Health

B−BridgetonHealthier than 50% of U.S. towns A−KearneyHealthier than 76% of U.S. towns

7Bridgeton

14Kearney

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

SafestSafety · 156 towns #146#27 Best schoolsSchools · 226 towns #185#18 Fastest growingGrowth · 260 towns #162#14 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #163#62 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #17#148 Most activeHealth · 261 towns #104#24 Highest incomeIncome · 261 towns #91#30 Shortest commuteGetting around · 261 towns #111#166

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $630 more a month in Kearney

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%

Bridgeton$1,810/mo

Typical home $281K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.44% · or rent about $1,172/mo · Housing →

Kearney$2,440/mo

Typical home $403K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.99% · or rent about $1,251/mo · Housing →

The difference: $630 a month, about $7,600 a year, between Kearney and Bridgeton.

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

BridgetonKearney

Snow a year17″19″

January low24°F 17°F

July high90°F 88°F

Growing season (days)215d 181d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)68th 50th

Outdoors & history

BridgetonKearney

Trails5 mi 3 mi

Conserved land1.9%2%

Settled—1856

National Register places1 3

Archive photos18 —

Famous people born here6 5

Community

BridgetonKearney

Library hours a week64 hrs 69 hrs

Colleges in town1 —

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

215 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BridgetonMO KearneyMO

Bridgeton ↔ Kearney215 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

BridgetonKearney

People

Population 11,369Highest 10,885Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.9%Lowest MO: +2.8% +24.1%Highest MO: +2.8%

Median age 40.9±3Highest 5% above MO 39.3±3.1Lowest about the MO average

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

Kids under 18 21.8%±3.8Lowest MO: 22.3% 23.7%±3.6Highest MO: 22.3%

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

Age 65+ 21.5%±3.1Highest MO: 17.9% 18.1%±2.9Lowest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 36%Lowest MO: 32.4% 36.8%Highest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±1.3Highest MO: 5.7% 3.6%±1.6Lowest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $72,005±$17kLowest about the MO average $103,622±$11kHighest 47% above MO

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $237,700±$18kLowest 3% above MO $298,400±$20kHighest 30% above MO

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,172±$67Lowest 13% above MO $1,251±$185Highest 21% above MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,411Highest 75% above MO $2,940Lowest 51% above MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.6%±9.9Highest MO: 45.6% 42.4%±15.2Lowest MO: 45.6%

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

Below poverty line 11.5%Highest MO: 12.6% 3.6%Lowest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 63.1%Lowest MO: 68.1% 74.5%Highest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1977Lowest 1 yr older than MO 2002Highest 24 yrs newer than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 10% below MO 24 minHighest about the MO average

Work from home 12.6%±2.6Lowest MO: 13% 15.2%±3.7Highest MO: 13%

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

Work in townworking residents 7.3%Lowest 11.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.3 miLowest 18.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 4.29Highest 0.58Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town St. Louis (13%)Kansas City (29%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in KearneyFew work in Bridgeton

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.9%Lowest 2%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 4.8 miHighest 2.9 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Highest 3Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 34.0Lowest 35.0Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #185 of 226 in MO #18 of 226 in MO

School district PATTONVILLE R-IIIKEARNEY R-I

High school in town None in townKearney High

Students per teacherat that high school — 14.2

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.

Bridgeton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bridgeton’s Town Square.

Kearney neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Kearney’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Bridgeton and Kearney

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Bordering Bridgeton

+ Compare

Maryland Heights27,880 people · $227K homes

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St. Ann12,811 people · $127K homes

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Hazelwood25,114 people · $167K homes

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St. Charles71,508 people · $299K homes

Towns like Bridgeton

+ Compare

Jackson15,659 people · $240K homes

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Sikeston16,320 people · $169K homes

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Washington15,130 people · $232K homes

+ Compare

Nixa24,836 people · $259K 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.

Bridgeton vs Kearney

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Kearney places higher on 14 of 21 MO lists

A typical home costs $630 more a month in Kearney

What daily life feels like in each

215 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Bridgeton and Kearney

Bordering Bridgeton

Towns like Bridgeton

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