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Cool Valley vs Berkeley

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (16.8× in Berkeley) and size (5.8× in Berkeley).

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Cool Valley, MOOne of the healthiest townsMissouri · 1,411 people
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Berkeley, MOHomes around $95KMissouri · 8,123 people
Swap order
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.

Cool ValleyOne of the healthiest towns
Health99% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$105K typical home61% below the MO typical home SchoolsBetter than 14%of MO districts All about Cool Valley →
BerkeleyHomes around $95K
Housing$95K typical home65% below the MO typical home Work22,985 jobsbased in Berkeley, a regional job hub Health98% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Berkeley →
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 worker16.8×
Berkeley is more of a job hub
Berkeley 6.90Cool Valley 0.41
Size5.8×
Berkeley is the bigger place
Berkeley 8,123Cool Valley 1,411
Property tax bill+32%
Tax bills are bigger in Cool Valley
Cool Valley $1,668Berkeley $1,264
Homeowners+9.9 pts renters
Berkeley has more renters
Cool Valley 62.7%Berkeley 52.8%
Growth since 2010+4.7 pts
Berkeley has grown faster since 2010
Berkeley -8.4%Cool Valley -13.1%
Average commute4 min
Cool Valley has the shorter commute
Berkeley 21 minCool Valley 17 min
★ 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.

Cool Valley$690/mo
Typical home $105K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.62% · or rent about $992/mo · Housing →
Berkeley$620/mo
Typical home $95K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.54% · or rent about $1,074/mo · Housing →

The difference: $70 a month, about $900 a year, between Cool Valley and Berkeley.

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

Cool Valley and Berkeley share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Cool ValleyBerkeleyCool ValleyBerkeley
Cool Valley ↔ Berkeley2.2 miles apart · They share a border
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.

Safety
–Cool ValleyNot graded D−BerkeleySafer than 0% of U.S. towns
Schools
DCool ValleyBetter than 14% of districts in the state DBerkeleyBetter than 14% of districts in the state
Health
D−Cool ValleyHealthier than 1% of U.S. towns D−BerkeleyHealthier 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
Cool ValleyBerkeley
Snow a year17″17″
January low24°F24°F
July high90°F90°F
Growing season (days)215d215d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th43rd
Outdoors & history
Cool ValleyBerkeley
Trails—1 mi
Conserved land—2%
Archive photos—5
Community
Cool ValleyBerkeley
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.

Cool ValleyBerkeley
People
Population 1,411Lowest 8,123Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -13.1%Lowest MO: +2.8% -8.4%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 27.3±7Lowest 30% below MO 28±4.8Highest 28% below MO
Berkeley and Cool Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 34.2%±2.7Highest MO: 22.3% 33.1%±7.2Lowest MO: 22.3%
Cool Valley and Berkeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.7%±5.2Lowest MO: 17.9% 12.3%±2.9Highest MO: 17.9%
Berkeley and Cool Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.1%Lowest MO: 32.4% 14.4%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±3Highest MO: 5.7% 1.8%±1.2Lowest MO: 5.7%
Cool Valley and Berkeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $53,560±$13kHighest 24% below MO $44,265±$10kLowest 37% below MO
Cool Valley and Berkeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $102,800±$13kHighest 55% below MO $82,300±$8kLowest 64% below MO
Cool Valley and Berkeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $992±$287Lowest 4% below MO $1,074±$80Highest 4% above MO
Berkeley and Cool Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,668Highest 14% below MO $1,264Lowest 35% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 36.4%±18Lowest MO: 45.6% 59.3%±14Highest MO: 45.6%
Berkeley and Cool Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 28.8%Lowest MO: 12.6% 35.1%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.7%Highest MO: 68.1% 52.8%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1955Lowest 23 yrs older than MO 1957Highest 21 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 27% below MO 21 minHighest 10% below MO
Work from home 19.2%±12.1Lowest MO: 13% 20.1%±10Highest MO: 13%
Berkeley and Cool Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 7.8 miLowest 8.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.41Lowest 6.90Highest
Top workplaceoutside town St. Louis (23%)St. Louis (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BerkeleyFew work in Cool Valley
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.1%Lowest 2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 74.4Highest 65.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#222 of 226 in MO
School district FERGUSON-FLORISSANT R-IIFERGUSON-FLORISSANT R-II
High school in town The Innovation School at CVNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 19.6 —
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.

Cool Valley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cool Valley’s Town Square.

Berkeley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Berkeley’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Cool Valley and Berkeley

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Bordering Cool Valley

+ Compare
Normandy4,239 people · $87K homes
+ Compare
Ferguson18,213 people · $110K homes
B
+ Compare
Bellerive Acres288 people · $329K homes

Towns like Cool Valley

+ Compare
Pierce City1,477 people · $136K homes
+ Compare
Seymour2,179 people · $117K homes
+ Compare
Purdy1,121 people · $92K homes
C
+ Compare
Crane1,760 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.

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