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Clay Township vs Salem Township

Next-door neighbors in Dunklin County. The biggest differences: trails (28.2× in Clay Township) and street grid (2.4× in Salem Township).

C ×
Clay Township, MOOne of the healthiest townsDunklin County · 1,101 people
S ×
Salem Township, MOOne of the healthiest townsDunklin County · 2,439 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.

Clay TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health96% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 20%of MO districts All about Clay Township →
Salem TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health98% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 15%of MO districts HistorySettled in 184510 archive photos, postcards and papers All about Salem Township →
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.

Trails28.2×
Clay Township has more miles of trail
Clay Township 248.3 miSalem Township 8.8 mi
Street grid2.4×
Salem Township has the more walkable street grid
Salem Township 4.8Clay Township 2.0
Homeowners+16.5 pts renters
Salem Township has more renters
Clay Township 80.5%Salem Township 64%
Size2.2×
Salem Township is the bigger place
Salem Township 2,439Clay Township 1,101
★ What stands out · 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.

Clay Township$410/mo
Typical home $69K (Census) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $406/mo · Housing →
Salem Township$470/mo
Typical home $81K (Census) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $565/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Salem Township and Clay Township.

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.

Where they are

Clay Township and Salem Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Clay TownshipSalem TownshipClay TownshipSalem Township
Clay Township ↔ Salem Township7.2 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
19 Salem Township residents work in Clay Township (2.2% of its workers)
Work & commute in Salem Township →
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

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.

Schools
C−Clay TownshipBetter than 20% of districts in the state C−Salem TownshipBetter than 15% of districts in the state
Health
D−Clay TownshipHealthier than 4% of U.S. towns D−Salem TownshipHealthier than 2% of U.S. towns
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
Clay TownshipSalem Township
Snow a year4″4″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)84th81st
Outdoors & history
Clay TownshipSalem Township
Trails248 mi9 mi
Conserved land5.8%3.9%
Settled—1845
Archive photos—10
Community
Clay TownshipSalem Township
Library hours a week12 hrs20 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.

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.

Clay TownshipSalem Township
People
Population 1,101Lowest 2,439Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -14.6%Highest MO: +2.8% -15.1%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 47.4±5.6Highest 22% above MO 37±5.7Lowest 5% below MO
Clay Township and Salem Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.6%±4.2Lowest MO: 22.3% 28.7%±4.7Highest MO: 22.3%
Salem Township and Clay Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24%±5.4Highest MO: 17.9% 17.2%±3.1Lowest MO: 17.9%
Clay Township and Salem Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.1%Highest MO: 32.4% 8.9%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.3%±1.2Lowest MO: 5.7% 2.1%±1.7Highest MO: 5.7%
Salem Township and Clay Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $50,000±$28kHighest 29% below MO $40,352±$9kLowest 43% below MO
Clay Township and Salem Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $69,300±$33kLowest 70% below MO $80,700±$17kHighest 65% below MO
Salem Township and Clay Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $406±$206Lowest 61% below MO $565±$117Highest 45% below MO
Salem Township and Clay Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $585Highest 70% below MO $554Lowest 72% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 72.1%±67.2Highest MO: 45.6% 57.4%±8.4Lowest MO: 45.6%
Clay Township and Salem Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 27.7%Highest MO: 12.6% 23.1%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 80.5%Highest MO: 68.1% 64%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1973 5 yrs older than MO 1973 5 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 4% above MO 27 minHighest 16% above MO
Work from home 6.1%±7.3Highest MO: 13% 2.2%±1.9Lowest MO: 13%
Clay Township and Salem Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 11.4%Lowest 13.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.3 miLowest 19.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.44Lowest 0.63Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Kennett (14%)Kennett (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Salem Township2% work in Clay Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.8%Highest 3.9%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 248.3 miHighest 8.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.1 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.0Lowest 4.8Highest
Schools
School district SENATH-HORNERSVILLE C-8SENATH-HORNERSVILLE C-8
High school in town None in townSenath-Hornersville High Schoo
Students per teacherat that high school — 12.3
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.

Clay Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Clay Township’s Town Square.

Salem Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Salem Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Clay Township and Salem Township

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Clay Township

I
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Independence Township11,960 people · $114K homes

Towns like Clay Township

D
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Davis Township1,124 people · $95K homes
M
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Marion Township781 people · $70K homes
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Braymer795 people · $82K homes
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Hurricane Township845 people · $109K 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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