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Celeste vs Alvord

87 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.5× in Celeste) and average commute (9 min in Alvord).

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Celeste, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 1,019 people

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Alvord, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 1,294 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.

CelesteOne of the healthiest towns

Health79% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$354K typical home18% above the TX typical home SchoolsBetter than 63%of TX districts All about Celeste →

AlvordKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 94%of TX districts Housing$363K typical home21% above the TX typical home All about Alvord →

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.

Jobs per worker4.5×

Celeste is more of a job hub

Celeste 0.49Alvord 0.11

Average commute9 min

Alvord has the shorter commute

Celeste 37 minAlvord 28 min

Property tax bill+27%

Tax bills are bigger in Alvord

Alvord $2,594Celeste $2,040

★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

BCelesteBetter than 63% of districts in the state AAlvordBetter than 94% of districts in the state

Health

C−CelesteHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns BAlvordHealthier than 57% of U.S. towns

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.

Down paymentRate%

Celeste$2,180/mo

Typical home $354K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.10% · or rent about $959/mo · Housing →

Alvord$2,270/mo

Typical home $363K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.22% · or rent about $1,159/mo · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,100 a year, between Alvord and Celeste.

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

CelesteAlvord

Snow a year0″0″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)44th 33rd

Outdoors & history

CelesteAlvord

Trails1 mi 0 mi

Conserved land0%0%

Archive photos—5

Famous people born here—1

Community

CelesteAlvord

Library hours a week—29 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

87 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CelesteTX AlvordTX

Celeste ↔ Alvord87 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 Texas average

CelesteAlvord

People

Population 1,019Lowest 1,294Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.6%Lowest TX: +15.9% +1.3%Highest TX: +15.9%

Median age 27.8±5.3Lowest 22% below TX 28.9±4.4Highest 19% below TX

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

Kids under 18 33%±17.1Highest TX: 25% 31.1%±5.2Lowest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 8.2%±4.5Lowest TX: 13.4% 13.4%±3.4Highest TX: 13.4%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.9%Highest TX: 33.8% 12.9%Lowest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.4%±4Lowest TX: 6.2% 6.6%±5.6Highest TX: 6.2%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $54,375±$23kLowest 31% below TX $68,674±$5kHighest 12% below TX

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $184,700±$29kLowest 35% below TX $212,500±$29kHighest 25% below TX

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $959±$165Lowest 32% below TX $1,159±$134Highest 17% below TX

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,040Lowest 52% below TX $2,594Highest 39% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.9%±36.5Lowest TX: 51.7% 62.7%±24.5Highest TX: 51.7%

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

Below poverty line 21.2%Highest TX: 13.8% 8%Lowest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 68.8%Highest TX: 62.6% 66.2%Lowest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1974Lowest 18 yrs older than TX 1983Highest 9 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 37 minHighest 39% above TX 28 minLowest 6% above TX

Work from home 9.3%±6.1Highest TX: 14.4% 6.7%±3.9Lowest TX: 14.4%

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

Work in townworking residents 3.8%Highest 1.7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 35.8 miLowest 41.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.49Highest 0.11Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Dallas (12%)Decatur (13%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AlvordFew work in Celeste

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 1.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 61.3Highest 54.1Lowest

Schools

School district CELESTE ISDALVORD ISD

High school in town Celeste H SAlvord H S

Students per teacherat that high school 7.6Lowest 9.1Highest

Texas 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.

Celeste neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Celeste’s Town Square.

Alvord neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alvord’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Celeste and Alvord

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Towns like Celeste

Rio Vista1,312 people · $195K homes

Valley Mills1,136 people · $176K homes

Beasley999 people

Blossom1,393 people · $121K 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.