Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Cooper Township vs Athens Township

Next-door neighbors in Gentry County. The biggest differences: trails (8.3× in Cooper Township) and rent (+52% in Cooper Township).

×
Cooper Township, MOOne of the healthiest townsGentry County · 1,765 people
A ×
Athens Township, MOOne of the healthiest townsGentry County · 2,232 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.

Cooper TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health84% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Cooper Township →
Athens TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health83% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 29%of MO districts All about Athens 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.

Trails8.3×
Cooper Township has more miles of trail
Cooper Township 3.3 miAthens Township 0.4 mi
Rent+52%
Rent runs higher in Cooper Township
Cooper Township $834Athens Township $550
Work in town+11.6 pts
More of Athens Township’s workers stay in town
Athens Township 27.2%Cooper Township 15.6%
Property tax bill+21%
Tax bills are bigger in Cooper Township
Cooper Township $1,338Athens Township $1,110
Growth since 2010+4.5 pts
Athens Township has grown faster since 2010
Athens Township -4.3%Cooper Township -8.8%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $180 more a month in Cooper Township

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.

Cooper Township$850/mo
Typical home $141K (Census) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $834/mo · Housing →
Athens Township$680/mo
Typical home $111K (Census) · tax rate 1.00% · or rent about $550/mo · Housing →

The difference: $180 a month, about $2,100 a year, between Cooper Township and Athens 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.

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
BCooper TownshipBetter than 58% of districts in the state CAthens TownshipBetter than 29% of districts in the state
Health
C−Cooper TownshipHealthier than 16% of U.S. towns C−Athens TownshipHealthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Where they are

Cooper Township and Athens Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Cooper TownshipAthens TownshipCooper TownshipAthens Township
Cooper Township ↔ Athens Township12 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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
Cooper TownshipAthens Township
Snow a year19″21″
January low15°F16°F
July high86°F87°F
Growing season (days)184d186d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)62nd63rd
Outdoors & history
Cooper TownshipAthens Township
Trails3 mi—
Conserved land0%—
National Register places—1
Archive photos3—
Community
Cooper TownshipAthens Township
Library hours a week41 hrs48 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.

Cooper TownshipAthens Township
People
Population 1,765Lowest 2,232Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8.8%Lowest MO: +2.8% -4.3%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 40.7±3.1Highest 4% above MO 39.8±3.5Lowest about the MO average
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.7%±3.9Highest MO: 22.3% 23.1%±3.2Lowest MO: 22.3%
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.4%±3.3Highest MO: 17.9% 18.9%±3.4Lowest MO: 17.9%
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.9%Lowest MO: 32.4% 22.9%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2%±1.1Highest MO: 5.7% 1.9%±1.2Lowest MO: 5.7%
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $53,173±$24kHighest 25% below MO $49,250±$8kLowest 30% below MO
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $141,100±$28kHighest 39% below MO $111,200±$18kLowest 52% below MO
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $834±$168Highest 19% below MO $550±$70Lowest 47% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,338Highest 31% below MO $1,110Lowest 43% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 37.9%±15.2Highest MO: 45.6% 26.3%±11.6Lowest MO: 45.6%
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 23.5%Highest MO: 12.6% 16.8%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 71.5%Highest MO: 68.1% 70.1%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1969Lowest 9 yrs older than MO 1972Highest 6 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 min 19% below MO 19 min 19% below MO
Work from home 12.8%±5.9Highest MO: 13% 6.8%±3.9Lowest MO: 13%
Cooper Township and Athens Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 15.6%Lowest 27.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 33.3 miHighest 29.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.76Lowest 0.95Highest
Top workplaceoutside town St. Joseph (18%)Albany (27%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Athens TownshipFew work in Cooper Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 3.3 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 3.3Lowest 4.5Highest
Schools
School district STANBERRY R-IIALBANY R-III
High school in town Stanberry HighAlbany High
Students per teacherat that high school 9.7Lowest 11.4Highest
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.

Cooper Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cooper Township’s Town Square.

Athens Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Athens Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Cooper Township and Athens Township

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

Bordering Cooper Township

H
+ Compare
Huggins Township53 people
J
+ Compare
Jackson Township1,165 people · $124K homes
M
+ Compare
Miller Township388 people · $138K homes
W
+ Compare
Wilson Township419 people · $352K homes

Towns like Cooper Township

+ Compare
Paris1,587 people · $131K homes
C
+ Compare
Camden Township1,861 people · $164K homes
+ Compare
Memphis1,782 people · $133K homes
C
+ Compare
Calverton Park1,546 people · $128K 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.

Post to Cooper Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in