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Chillicothe vs Dexter

284 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (5.2× in Chillicothe) and property tax bill (+29% in Dexter).

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Chillicothe, MOOne of the healthiest townsMissouri · 8,923 people
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Dexter, MOHomes around $169KMissouri · 7,891 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.

ChillicotheOne of the healthiest towns
Health85% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$189K typical home29% below the MO typical home Outdoors#53 most trails in MO5.2 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves All about Chillicothe →
DexterHomes around $169K
Housing$169K typical home37% below the MO typical home Outdoors#83 most walkable in MO1.0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Health91% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Dexter →
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.

Trails5.2×
Chillicothe has more miles of trail
Chillicothe 5.2 miDexter 1.0 mi
Property tax bill+29%
Tax bills are bigger in Dexter
Dexter $1,249Chillicothe $967
Work in town+12.1 pts
More of Chillicothe’s workers stay in town
Chillicothe 45.2%Dexter 33.1%
Growth since 2010+5.1 pts
Dexter has grown faster since 2010
Dexter +0.8%Chillicothe -4.3%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Chillicothe places higher on 14 of 22 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
B−ChillicotheSafer than 49% of U.S. towns CDexterSafer than 25% of U.S. towns
Health
DChillicotheHealthier than 15% of U.S. towns DDexterHealthier than 9% of U.S. towns
14Chillicothe
7Dexter

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #22#255 Most trailsOutdoors · 151 towns #53#139 Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #96#6 SafestSafety · 156 towns #59#97 Shortest commuteGetting around · 261 towns #53#116 Fewest smokersHealth · 261 towns #151#213 Lowest obesityHealth · 261 towns #179#119 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 85 towns #24#5

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

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.

Chillicothe$1,110/mo
Typical home $189K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.76% · or rent about $782/mo · Housing →
Dexter$1,010/mo
Typical home $169K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $765/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,200 a year, between Chillicothe and Dexter.

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
ChillicotheDexter
Snow a year14″3″
January low16°F28°F
July high87°F91°F
Growing season (days)187d225d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)40th83rd
Outdoors & history
ChillicotheDexter
Trails5 mi1 mi
Conserved land2.1%2%
Settled18551873
National Register places41
Archive photos113
Famous people born here148
Community
ChillicotheDexter
Library hours a week55 hrs40 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

284 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ChillicotheMODexterMO
Chillicothe ↔ Dexter284 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.

ChillicotheDexter
People
Population 8,923Highest 7,891Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.3%Lowest MO: +2.8% +0.8%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 38.2±0.9Lowest about the MO average 38.5±4.3Highest about the MO average
Dexter and Chillicothe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.6%±2.4Lowest MO: 22.3% 24.8%±4.2Highest MO: 22.3%
Dexter and Chillicothe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.3%±2.4Lowest MO: 17.9% 20.9%±3.9Highest MO: 17.9%
Dexter and Chillicothe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.1%Lowest MO: 32.4% 17.7%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.4%±1.4Highest MO: 5.7% 2.9%±1.5Lowest MO: 5.7%
Chillicothe and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $54,493±$5kHighest 23% below MO $51,701±$5kLowest 27% below MO
Chillicothe and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $127,000±$10kLowest 45% below MO $137,200±$12kHighest 40% below MO
Dexter and Chillicothe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $782±$68Highest 24% below MO $765±$68Lowest 26% below MO
Chillicothe and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $967Lowest 50% below MO $1,249Highest 36% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 37.3%±6.8Highest MO: 45.6% 25.1%±9Lowest MO: 45.6%
Chillicothe and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 16.8%Lowest MO: 12.6% 17%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 63.5%Highest MO: 68.1% 60%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 16 yrs older than MO 1971Highest 7 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 24% below MO 21 minHighest 9% below MO
Work from home 5.1%±2.6Highest MO: 13% 3.8%±2.9Lowest MO: 13%
Chillicothe and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 45.2%Highest 33.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miHighest 15.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.45Lowest 1.46Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (7%)Sikeston (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DexterFew work in Chillicothe
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.1%Highest 2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 5.2 miHighest 1.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 67.1Lowest 78.7Highest
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.

Chillicothe neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Chillicothe’s Town Square.

Dexter neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dexter’s Town Square.

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Bordering Chillicothe

C
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Chillicothe Township9,142 people · $138K homes
R
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Rich Hill Township1,401 people · $268K homes

Towns like Chillicothe

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Mexico11,477 people · $140K homes
C
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Center Township9,372 people · $149K homes
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Perryville8,536 people · $180K homes
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Bonne Terre6,683 people · $153K 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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