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Early vs Shallowater

223 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+65% in Shallowater) and street grid (2.4× in Shallowater).

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Early, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 3,143 people

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Shallowater, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,955 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.

EarlyKnown for its schools

Schools#76 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$253K typical home15% below the TX typical home Health59% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Early →

ShallowaterKnown for its schools

Schools#22 for schools in TXof 583 towns HealthHealthier than 66%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$308K typical home3% above the TX typical home All about Shallowater →

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.

Property tax bill+65%

Tax bills are bigger in Shallowater

Shallowater $3,876Early $2,349

Street grid2.4×

Shallowater has the more walkable street grid

Shallowater 83.0Early 34.5

Growth since 2010+7.5 pts

Shallowater has grown faster since 2010

Shallowater +19.3%Early +11.8%

★ What stands out · Report cards

Shallowater places higher on 12 of 21 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

CEarlySafer than 28% of U.S. towns B+ShallowaterSafer than 65% of U.S. towns

Schools

A−EarlyBetter than 82% of districts in the state A+ShallowaterBetter than 95% of districts in the state

Health

C+EarlyHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns B+ShallowaterHealthier than 66% of U.S. towns

6Early

12Shallowater

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #533#180 SafestSafety · 470 towns #326#109 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #566#383 Lowest property taxCost of living · 647 towns #226#397 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #381#217 Highest incomeIncome · 653 towns #336#195 Most conserved landOutdoors · 572 towns #432#534 Most remote workersWork · 624 towns #301#407

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Early’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $480 more a month in Shallowater

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%

Early$1,600/mo

Typical home $253K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.31% · or rent about $1,227/mo · Housing →

Shallowater$2,090/mo

Typical home $308K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.85% · or rent about $1,202/mo · Housing →

The difference: $480 a month, about $5,800 a year, between Shallowater and Early.

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

EarlyShallowater

Snow a year1″7″

January low32°F —

July high97°F —

Growing season (days)233d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)13th 58th

Outdoors & history

EarlyShallowater

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land0.9%—

Settled—1909

Community

EarlyShallowater

Library hours a week—20 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

223 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

EarlyTX ShallowaterTX

Early ↔ Shallowater223 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

EarlyShallowater

People

Population 3,143Highest 2,955Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +11.8%Lowest TX: +15.9% +19.3%Highest TX: +15.9%

Median age 36.5±4.5Lowest about the TX average 37.8±5.6Highest 6% above TX

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

Kids under 18 27.2%±5.9Lowest TX: 25% 31.1%±5Highest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 16.1%±4.2Highest TX: 13.4% 13.1%±3.4Lowest TX: 13.4%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28.3%Highest TX: 33.8% 24.3%Lowest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.5%±2.2Lowest TX: 6.2% 7.2%±3.6Highest TX: 6.2%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $67,346±$17kLowest 14% below TX $89,107±$18kHighest 14% above TX

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $179,800±$35kLowest 37% below TX $210,000±$73kHighest 26% below TX

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,227±$177Highest 13% below TX $1,202±$349Lowest 14% below TX

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,349Lowest 44% below TX $3,876Highest 8% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 38.5%±22.9Lowest TX: 51.7% 39.4%±13Highest TX: 51.7%

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

Below poverty line 10.6%Highest TX: 13.8% 3.7%Lowest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 71.4%Lowest TX: 62.6% 76.9%Highest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1982Lowest 10 yrs older than TX 1985Highest 7 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 33% below TX 20 minHighest 27% below TX

Work from home 9.3%±5.1Highest TX: 14.4% 6%±3.6Lowest TX: 14.4%

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

Work in townworking residents 7%Lowest 9.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 6.8 miLowest 11.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.84Highest 0.56Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Brownwood (40%)Lubbock (56%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ShallowaterFew work in Early

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.9%Highest 0.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

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 34.5Lowest 83.0Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #76 of 583 in TX #22 of 583 in TX

School district PREMIER HIGH SCHOOLS · EARLY ISDSHALLOWATER ISD

High school in town Early H SShallowater H S

Students per teacherat that high school 11.4Highest 10.4Lowest

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.

Early neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Early’s Town Square.

Shallowater neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Shallowater’s Town Square.

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Bordering Early

Brownwood18,777 people · $144K homes

Towns like Early

Van2,806 people · $170K homes

Abernathy3,278 people · $176K homes

Columbus3,860 people · $242K homes

Canton4,545 people · $220K 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.