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Dexter vs Perryville

65 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (12.4× in Perryville) and home values (+31% in Perryville).

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Dexter, MOHomes around $169KMissouri · 7,891 people
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Perryville, MOAn outdoors townMissouri · 8,536 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.

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.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $380 more a month in Perryville

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.

Dexter$1,010/mo
Typical home $169K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $765/mo · Housing →
Perryville$1,400/mo
Typical home $238K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $944/mo · Housing →

The difference: $380 a month, about $4,600 a year, between Perryville and Dexter.

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

Perryville places higher on 16 of 21 MO lists

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.

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
DexterPerryville
Snow a year3″5″
January low28°F21°F
July high91°F88°F
Growing season (days)225d182d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)83rd81st
Outdoors & history
DexterPerryville
Trails1 mi12 mi
Conserved land2%8.8%
Settled18731821
National Register places15
Archive photos312
Famous people born here85
Community
DexterPerryville
Library hours a week40 hrs49 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.

Where they are

65 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Dexter ↔ Perryville65 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.

DexterPerryville
People
Population 7,891Lowest 8,536Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.8%Lowest MO: +2.8% +4%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 38.5±4.3Lowest about the MO average 38.6±2.5Highest about the MO average
Perryville and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.8%±4.2Highest MO: 22.3% 24.4%±2.8Lowest MO: 22.3%
Dexter and Perryville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.9%±3.9Highest MO: 17.9% 16%±2.4Lowest MO: 17.9%
Dexter and Perryville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.7%Lowest MO: 32.4% 20.4%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.9%±1.5Lowest MO: 5.7% 4.3%±1.4Highest MO: 5.7%
Perryville and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $51,701±$5kLowest 27% below MO $51,897±$6kHighest 27% below MO
Perryville and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $137,200±$12kLowest 40% below MO $179,700±$11kHighest 22% below MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $765±$68Lowest 26% below MO $944±$39Highest 9% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,249Lowest 36% below MO $1,355Highest 30% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25.1%±9Lowest MO: 45.6% 59.6%±12.6Highest MO: 45.6%
Below poverty line 17%Lowest MO: 12.6% 19%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 60%Lowest MO: 68.1% 62.6%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 7 yrs older than MO 1974Highest 4 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minHighest 9% below MO 20 minLowest 15% below MO
Work from home 3.8%±2.9Lowest MO: 13% 6.5%±2.7Highest MO: 13%
Perryville and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 33.1%Lowest 42.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miHighest 8.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.46Lowest 1.55Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sikeston (7%)Cape Girardeau (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PerryvilleFew work in Dexter
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2%Lowest 8.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.0 miLowest 12.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 1.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 78.7Highest 60.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#130 of 226 in MO
School district —PERRY CO. 32
High school in town —Perryville SR. High
Students per teacherat that high school — 18.2
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.

Dexter neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dexter’s Town Square.

Perryville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Perryville’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Dexter

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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