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Eagle Lake vs Taft

128 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (7.3× in Eagle Lake) and property tax bill (+46% in Taft).

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Eagle Lake, TXAn outdoors townTexas · 3,485 people
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Taft, TXHomes around $160KTexas · 2,871 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.

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 →
TaftHomes around $160K
Housing$160K typical home46% below the TX typical home Health93% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors#170 most conserved land in TX0.6 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Taft →
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.

Trails7.3×
Eagle Lake has more miles of trail
Eagle Lake 4.4 miTaft 0.6 mi
Property tax bill+46%
Tax bills are bigger in Taft
Taft $2,121Eagle Lake $1,448
★ What stands out · Report cards

Eagle Lake places higher on 12 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 BTaftSafer than 63% of U.S. towns
Schools
C−Eagle LakeBetter than 20% of districts in the state CTaftBetter than 30% of districts in the state
Health
C+Eagle LakeHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns DTaftHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns
12Eagle Lake
8Taft

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

Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #428#183 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #171#469 HealthiestHealth · 651 towns #290#586 Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #581#339 Most activeHealth · 652 towns #350#605 Lowest obesityHealth · 652 towns #363#601 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 632 towns #520#373 Most educatedPeople · 653 towns #369#511

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 →
Taft$1,070/mo
Typical home $160K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.71% · or rent about $1,179/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
Eagle LakeTaft
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F45°F
July high96°F93°F
Growing season (days)255d324d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th77th
Outdoors & history
Eagle LakeTaft
Trails4 mi1 mi
Conserved land3.1%4.4%
National Register places12
Archive photos7—
Famous people born here6—
Community
Eagle LakeTaft
Library hours a week36 hrs43 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

128 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Eagle LakeTXTaftTX
Eagle Lake ↔ Taft128 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 LakeTaft
People
Population 3,485Highest 2,871Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.4%Highest TX: +15.9% -8.1%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 30.8±4Lowest 13% below TX 30.9±7Highest 13% below TX
Taft and Eagle Lake 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% 35.8%±8.6Highest TX: 25%
Taft and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.7%±4.7Highest TX: 13.4% 11.9%±3.2Lowest TX: 13.4%
Eagle Lake and Taft 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% 14%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.9%±2.2Lowest TX: 6.2% 3.5%±2.4Highest TX: 6.2%
Taft 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 $73,032±$22kHighest 7% below TX
Taft 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±$29kHighest 51% below TX $124,200±$49kLowest 56% below TX
Eagle Lake and Taft 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 $1,179±$442Lowest 16% below TX
Eagle Lake and Taft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,448Lowest 66% below TX $2,121Highest 50% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 15.4%±11Lowest TX: 51.7% 46.8%±14.1Highest TX: 51.7%
Below poverty line 14.1%Lowest TX: 13.8% 21.3%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72.3%Highest TX: 62.6% 69%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1965Highest 27 yrs older than TX 1964Lowest 28 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest about the TX average 27 minHighest about the TX average
Work from home 3%±1.9Highest TX: 14.4% 0%±1.6Lowest TX: 14.4%
Eagle Lake and Taft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.9%Lowest 10.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 38.3 miHighest 15.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.62Highest 0.57Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Houston (19%)Corpus Christi (29%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TaftFew work in Eagle Lake
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.1%Lowest 4.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 4.4 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.5 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.3Highest 80.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #528 of 583 in TX#498 of 583 in TX
School district RICE CISDERATH EXCELS ACADEMY INC · TAFT ISD
High school in town Rice Challenge AcademyTaft H S
Students per teacherat that high school 28.5Highest 10.6Lowest
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.

Taft neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Taft’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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