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Carl Junction vs Smithville

154 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+65% in Smithville) and growth since 2010 (+14.1 pts in Smithville).

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Carl Junction, MOKnown for its schoolsMissouri · 8,339 people
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Smithville, MOKnown for its schoolsMissouri · 10,705 people
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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.

Carl JunctionKnown for its schools
Schools#52 for schools in MOof 226 towns Outdoors#66 most conserved land in MO0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 59%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Carl Junction →
SmithvilleKnown for its schools
Schools#33 for schools in MOof 226 towns Housing$378K typical home41% above the MO typical home HealthHealthier than 68%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Smithville →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill+65%
Tax bills are bigger in Smithville
Smithville $2,850Carl Junction $1,724
Growth since 2010+14.1 pts
Smithville has grown faster since 2010
Smithville +23.5%Carl Junction +9.4%
Home values+33%
Homes cost more in Smithville
Smithville $290,600Carl Junction $218,300
Street grid+90%
Carl Junction has the more walkable street grid
Carl Junction 50.6Smithville 26.6
Average commute6 min
Carl Junction has the shorter commute
Smithville 29 minCarl Junction 23 min
Bachelor’s degree++10.2 pts
More adults in Carl Junction have a degree
Carl Junction 42.6%Smithville 32.4%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $760 more a month in Smithville

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.

Carl Junction$1,530/mo
Typical home $260K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $1,307/mo · Housing →
Smithville$2,290/mo
Typical home $378K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.98% · or rent about $1,323/mo · Housing →

The difference: $760 a month, about $9,100 a year, between Smithville and Carl Junction.

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

Smithville places higher on 11 of 21 MO lists

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
BCarl JunctionSafer than 55% of U.S. towns B+SmithvilleSafer than 68% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−Carl JunctionBetter than 83% of districts in the state ASmithvilleBetter than 91% of districts in the state
Health
BCarl JunctionHealthier than 59% of U.S. towns B+SmithvilleHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns
7Carl Junction
11Smithville

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

Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #66#185 Shortest commuteGetting around · 261 towns #157#235 Most walkableOutdoors · 261 towns #176#229 Lowest property taxCost of living · 259 towns #154#206 Most remote workersWork · 255 towns #123#72 SafestSafety · 156 towns #48#23 Most affordableCost of living · 260 towns #177#218 Fastest growingGrowth · 260 towns #55#15

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

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
Carl JunctionSmithville
Snow a year8″18″
January low—20°F
July high—88°F
Growing season (days)—193d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)66th63rd
Outdoors & history
Carl JunctionSmithville
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land3.7%1%
National Register places—2
Archive photos—3
Famous people born here—1
Community
Carl JunctionSmithville
Library hours a week—69 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

154 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Carl JunctionMOSmithvilleMO
Carl Junction ↔ Smithville154 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.

Carl JunctionSmithville
People
Population 8,339Lowest 10,705Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +9.4%Lowest MO: +2.8% +23.5%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 35.9±3Lowest 8% below MO 37.4±2.2Highest 4% below MO
Smithville and Carl Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.2%±5.1Highest MO: 22.3% 26.3%±3.8Lowest MO: 22.3%
Carl Junction and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.4%±2.8Lowest MO: 17.9% 15.4%±2.9Highest MO: 17.9%
Smithville and Carl Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 42.6%Highest MO: 32.4% 32.4%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.3%±2.4Lowest MO: 5.7% 6.5%±2.4Highest MO: 5.7%
Smithville and Carl Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $82,879±$11kLowest 17% above MO $101,165±$9kHighest 43% above MO
Smithville and Carl Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $218,300±$14kLowest 5% below MO $290,600±$21kHighest 26% above MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,307±$104Lowest 27% above MO $1,323±$371Highest 28% above MO
Smithville and Carl Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,724Lowest 11% below MO $2,850Highest 46% above MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.5%±23.2Highest MO: 45.6% 31.2%±14.5Lowest MO: 45.6%
Carl Junction and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.4%Highest MO: 12.6% 5.4%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 77.4%Lowest MO: 68.1% 84.2%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1997Highest 19 yrs newer than MO 1996Lowest 18 yrs newer than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest about the MO average 29 minHighest 21% above MO
Work from home 8.9%±3.3Lowest MO: 13% 13.5%±4Highest MO: 13%
Smithville and Carl Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 9.1%Lowest 9.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 7.8 miLowest 19.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.31Lowest 0.47Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Joplin (41%)Kansas City (35%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SmithvilleFew work in Carl Junction
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.7%Highest 1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 1.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 7Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 50.6Highest 26.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #52 of 226 in MO#33 of 226 in MO
School district CARL JUNCTION R-ISMITHVILLE R-II
High school in town Carl Junction High SchoolSmithville High
Students per teacherat that high school 14.3Lowest 16.4Highest
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.

Carl Junction neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Carl Junction’s Town Square.

Smithville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Smithville’s Town Square.

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Bordering Carl Junction

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Airport Drive941 people · $251K homes

Towns like Carl Junction

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Kearney10,885 people · $298K homes
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Ashland4,914 people · $259K homes
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Jackson15,659 people · $240K homes
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Willard6,488 people · $213K 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.

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