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Crane vs Merkel

156 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (6× in Crane) and property tax bill (+64% in Crane).

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Crane, TXAn outdoors townTexas · 2,640 people

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Merkel, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,699 people

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.

CraneAn outdoors town

Outdoors#4 most walkable in TX1.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves Health82% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$202K typical home32% below the TX typical home All about Crane →

MerkelKnown for its schools

Schools#280 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$208K typical home31% below the TX typical home

Outdoors#166 most walkable in TX0.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Merkel →

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.

Crane has more miles of trail

Crane 1.2 miMerkel 0.2 mi

Property tax bill+64%

Tax bills are bigger in Crane

Crane $1,908Merkel $1,164

Jobs per worker3×

Merkel is more of a job hub

Merkel 0.78Crane 0.26

Street grid2.1×

Crane has the more walkable street grid

Crane 176Merkel 85.3

Growth since 2010+8.3 pts

Crane has grown faster since 2010

Crane +3.7%Merkel -4.6%

Work from home+5 pts

More people work from home in Merkel

Merkel 5%Crane 0%

★ What stands out · Report cards

Merkel places higher on 12 of 19 TX lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

A−CraneSafer than 81% of U.S. towns B+MerkelSafer than 69% of U.S. towns

Schools

B−CraneBetter than 46% of districts in the state BMerkelBetter than 59% of districts in the state

Health

C−CraneHealthier than 18% of U.S. towns C−MerkelHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns

7Crane

12Merkel

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #148#566 Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #339#41 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 652 towns #522#261 Most remote workersWork · 624 towns #621#451 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #4#166 Most activeHealth · 652 towns #506#350 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #381#533 Lowest obesityHealth · 652 towns #463#314

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Crane’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.

Down paymentRate%

Crane$1,260/mo

Typical home $202K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.16% · or rent about $872/mo · Housing →

Merkel$1,260/mo

Typical home $208K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.01% · or rent about $1,058/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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

CraneMerkel

Snow a year2″2″

January low32°F —

July high95°F —

Growing season (days)243d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)9th 39th

Outdoors & history

CraneMerkel

Trails1 mi 0 mi

Conserved land4.1%0%

Settled1908 —

Community

CraneMerkel

Library hours a week38 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

156 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CraneTX MerkelTX

Crane ↔ Merkel156 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.

Only big differences vs Texas average

CraneMerkel

People

Population 2,640Lowest 2,699Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.7%Highest TX: +15.9% -4.6%Lowest TX: +15.9%

Median age 34.3±5.1Lowest 4% below TX 35.4±6.7Highest about the TX average

Merkel and Crane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 28.3%±7.8Lowest TX: 25% 29.7%±5.4Highest TX: 25%

Merkel and Crane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 11.9%±4.6Lowest TX: 13.4% 17.2%±3.3Highest TX: 13.4%

Merkel and Crane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.9%Highest TX: 33.8% 12.4%Lowest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2%±2.4Lowest TX: 6.2% 2.1%±1.8Highest TX: 6.2%

Merkel and Crane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $73,150±$14kLowest 7% below TX $73,500±$24kHighest 6% below TX

Merkel and Crane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $164,900±$78kHighest 42% below TX $115,100±$43kLowest 59% below TX

Crane and Merkel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $872±$195Lowest 38% below TX $1,058±$120Highest 25% below TX

Merkel and Crane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,908Highest 55% below TX $1,164Lowest 72% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±21Lowest TX: 51.7% 11.3%±11.2Highest TX: 51.7%

Merkel and Crane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 14.7%Highest TX: 13.8% 11.4%Lowest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 77.2%Highest TX: 62.6% 73%Lowest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1972Highest 20 yrs older than TX 1961Lowest 31 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 11% above TX 27 minLowest about the TX average

Work from home 0%±1.4Lowest TX: 14.4% 5%±3.1Highest TX: 14.4%

Work in townworking residents 11.5%Lowest 19.9%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 35.3 miHighest 16.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.26Lowest 0.78Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Odessa (16%)Abilene (38%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MerkelFew work in Crane

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.1%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 1.2 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.2 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 176Highest 85.3Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #316 of 583 in TX #280 of 583 in TX

School district CRANE ISDMERKEL ISD

High school in town Crane H SMerkel H S

Students per teacherat that high school 13.3Highest 7.7Lowest

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.

Crane neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Crane’s Town Square.

Merkel neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Merkel’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Crane and Merkel

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Towns like Crane

Little River-Academy2,233 people · $183K homes

Danbury2,161 people · $233K homes

Teague3,476 people · $120K homes

Itasca2,073 people · $115K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.