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Eagle Lake vs Sonora

267 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+59% in Eagle Lake) and growth since 2010 (+11.9 pts in Eagle Lake).

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Eagle Lake, TXAn outdoors townTexas · 3,485 people
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Sonora, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,691 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.

Eagle LakeAn outdoors town
Outdoors#36 most trails in TX4.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Health59% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$171K typical home43% below the TX typical home All about Eagle Lake →
SonoraKnown for its schools
Schools#142 for schools in TXof 583 towns Outdoors#66 most conserved land in TX0.0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Health79% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Sonora →
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.

Rent+59%
Rent runs higher in Eagle Lake
Eagle Lake $1,229Sonora $772
Growth since 2010+11.9 pts
Eagle Lake has grown faster since 2010
Eagle Lake -5.4%Sonora -17.3%
Work in town+19.7 pts
More of Sonora’s workers stay in town
Sonora 28.6%Eagle Lake 8.9%
Property tax bill+24%
Tax bills are bigger in Sonora
Sonora $1,796Eagle Lake $1,448
★ What stands out · Report cards

Eagle Lake places higher on 13 of 20 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
–Eagle LakeNot graded A−SonoraSafer than 82% of U.S. towns
Schools
C−Eagle LakeBetter than 20% of districts in the state A−SonoraBetter than 81% of districts in the state
Health
C+Eagle LakeHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns C−SonoraHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns
13Eagle Lake
7Sonora

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #581#41 Best schoolsSchools · 583 towns #528#142 Cheapest rentCost of living · 624 towns #332#50 Most conserved landOutdoors · 572 towns #213#66 HealthiestHealth · 651 towns #290#446 Most activeHealth · 652 towns #350#506 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #171#309 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #428#533

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

Eagle Lake$1,040/mo
Typical home $171K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.05% · or rent about $1,229/mo · Housing →
Sonora$940/mo
Typical home $150K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.25% · or rent about $772/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,200 a year, between Eagle Lake and Sonora.

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
Eagle LakeSonora
Snow a year0″1″
January low39°F32°F
July high96°F93°F
Growing season (days)255d234d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th64th
Outdoors & history
Eagle LakeSonora
Trails4 mi0 mi
Conserved land3.1%9.8%
National Register places12
Archive photos7—
Famous people born here6—
Community
Eagle LakeSonora
Library hours a week36 hrs46 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

267 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Eagle LakeTXSonoraTX
Eagle Lake ↔ Sonora267 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.

Eagle LakeSonora
People
Population 3,485Highest 2,691Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.4%Highest TX: +15.9% -17.3%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 30.8±4Highest 13% below TX 30.5±5.5Lowest 14% below TX
Eagle Lake and Sonora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.2%±8Lowest TX: 25% 28.1%±7.8Highest TX: 25%
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.7%±4.7Lowest TX: 13.4% 17.7%±4.4Highest TX: 13.4%
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.3%Highest TX: 33.8% 15.9%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.9%±2.2Lowest TX: 6.2% 3.7%±3Highest TX: 6.2%
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $69,205±$25kLowest 12% below TX $71,848±$22kHighest 8% below TX
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $137,900±$29kLowest 51% below TX $143,200±$37kHighest 50% below TX
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,229±$267Highest 12% below TX $772±$152Lowest 45% below TX
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,448Lowest 66% below TX $1,796Highest 58% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 15.4%±11Lowest TX: 51.7% 23.1%±16.4Highest TX: 51.7%
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 14.1%Highest TX: 13.8% 5.4%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72.3%Highest TX: 62.6% 71.2%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1965Lowest 27 yrs older than TX 1971Highest 21 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest about the TX average 28 minHighest 4% above TX
Work from home 3%±1.9Lowest TX: 14.4% 4.9%±5.4Highest TX: 14.4%
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.9%Lowest 28.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 38.3 miLowest 60.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.62Lowest 0.66Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Houston (19%)San Angelo (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SonoraFew work in Eagle Lake
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.1%Lowest 9.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 4.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.5 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.3Lowest 96.1Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #528 of 583 in TX#142 of 583 in TX
School district RICE CISDSONORA ISD
High school in town Rice Challenge AcademySonora Secondary School
Students per teacherat that high school 28.5Highest 8.5Lowest
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.

Eagle Lake neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Eagle Lake’s Town Square.

Sonora neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sonora’s Town Square.

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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.

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