Compare towns
Brownington vs Rea 137 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2.1× in Rea) and street grid (2.8× in Brownington).
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Rea, MO A small town of 39 Missouri · 39 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.
Brownington A small town of 58
Quiet strengths Brownington doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Brownington →
Rea A small town of 39
Quiet strengths Rea doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Rea →
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.
★ What stands out · Monthly cost A typical home costs $1,530 more a month in Rea 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 payment3.5% 10% 20% Rate
Brownington $440 /mo
Typical home $76K (Census) · tax rate 0.70% · Housing →
Rea $1,970 /mo
Typical home $310K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.34% · Housing →
The difference: $1,530 a month , about $18,300 a year , between Rea and Brownington.
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.
Outdoors & history
National Register places — 1
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 137 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Brownington ↔ Rea 137 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.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Population
58 Highest 39 Lowest
Median age
53 ±9.9 Highest 36% above MO 52.1 ±12.7 Lowest 34% above MO
Kids under 18
19% ±37.2 Lowest MO: 22.3% 20.5% ±85.1 Highest MO: 22.3%
Age 65+
19% ±59.7 Lowest MO: 17.9% 25.6% ±86.2 Highest MO: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
4.3% Highest MO: 32.4% 0% Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±29.3 MO: 5.7% 0% ±43.5 MO: 5.7%
Household incomemedian
— $95,179 ±$36k 35% above MO
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$76,100 ±$32k Lowest 67% below MO $85,000 ±$3k Highest 63% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly
$533 Lowest 73% below MO $1,139 Highest 42% below MO
Below poverty line
19% Highest MO: 12.6% 0% Lowest MO: 12.6%
Homeownersof occupied homes
92.6% Lowest MO: 68.1% 100% Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year
1992 Lowest 14 yrs newer than MO 1998 Highest 20 yrs newer than MO
Average commuteone way
29 min Highest 21% above MO 22 min Lowest 7% below MO
Work from home
11.5% ±13.1 Highest MO: 13% 5.3% ±8.6 Lowest MO: 13%
Work in townworking residents
0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
45.8 mi Highest 19.8 mi Lowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.06 Highest 0.00 Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town
Clinton (18%) St. Joseph (44%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Rea Few work in Brownington
Conserved landshare of the town
3.3% Highest 0% Lowest
Trailsmapped miles
0.0 mi Lowest 0.2 mi Highest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.0 mi Lowest 2.0 mi Highest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
1 Highest 0 Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
257 Highest 92.0 Lowest
“±” Census margin of error ACS 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.
Brownington or Rea: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Brownington? → Moving to Brownington: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Brownington’s Town Square.
Rea or Brownington: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Rea? → Moving to Rea: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Rea’s Town Square.
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.
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