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Compare towns

Cool vs Ross

91 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (14.7× in Cool) and property tax bill (2.1× in Cool).

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Cool, TXA small town of 159Texas · 159 people
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Ross, TXA small town of 202Texas · 202 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.

CoolA small town of 159
Quiet strengthsCool doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Cool →
RossA small town of 202
Quiet strengthsRoss doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Ross →
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.

Jobs per worker14.7×
Cool is more of a job hub
Cool 0.44Ross 0.03
Property tax bill2.1×
Tax bills are bigger in Cool
Cool $4,818Ross $2,278
Conserved land+50.4 pts
Ross has more conserved land
Ross 53.2%Cool 2.8%
Average commute18 min
Ross has the shorter commute
Cool 38 minRoss 20 min
Street grid+64%
Cool has the more walkable street grid
Cool 22.5Ross 13.7
Typical home built12 yrs
Ross’s homes are older
Cool 1997Ross 1985
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
CoolRoss
Snow a year—0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)42nd11th
Outdoors & history
CoolRoss
Archive photos2—
Community
CoolRoss
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

91 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CoolTXRossTX
Cool ↔ Ross91 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.

CoolRoss
People
Population 159Lowest 202Highest
Median age 50.5±12Lowest 42% above TX 53.5±18.3Highest 50% above TX
Ross and Cool are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 6.9%±19.3Lowest TX: 25% 12.4%±18.3Highest TX: 25%
Ross and Cool are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.6%±19.7Lowest TX: 13.4% 34.7%±19.3Highest TX: 13.4%
Ross and Cool are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.8%Highest TX: 33.8% 16.6%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.8%±10.5Lowest TX: 6.2% 9.4%±12.2Highest TX: 6.2%
Ross and Cool are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $87,614±$39kHighest 12% above TX $61,625±$19kLowest 21% below TX
Cool and Ross are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $428,000±$129k 51% above TX —
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,150±$558 53% above TX —
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,818Highest 14% above TX $2,278Lowest 46% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 66.7%±100Highest TX: 51.7% 20%±100Lowest TX: 51.7%
Cool and Ross are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.8%Lowest TX: 13.8% 19.8%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 82.9%Highest TX: 62.6% 80.9%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1997Highest 5 yrs newer than TX 1985Lowest 7 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 38 minHighest 42% above TX 20 minLowest 25% below TX
Work from home 25%±24.7Highest TX: 14.4% 6.2%±6.8Lowest TX: 14.4%
Cool and Ross are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 39.3 miHighest 15.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.44Highest 0.03Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Fort Worth (18%)Waco (34%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RossFew work in Cool
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.8%Lowest 53.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 22.5Highest 13.7Lowest
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.

Cool neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cool’s Town Square.

Ross neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ross’s Town Square.

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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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