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Eldon vs Macon

96 miles apart. The biggest differences: household income (+48% in Macon) and work in town (+23.8 pts in Macon).

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Eldon, MOKnown for its schoolsMissouri · 4,556 people
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Macon, MOA regional job hubMissouri · 5,466 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.

EldonKnown for its schools
Schools#77 for schools in MOof 226 towns Housing$195K typical home27% below the MO typical home Health82% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Eldon →
MaconA regional job hub
Work3,208 jobsbased in Macon, a regional job hub Health66% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Schools#73 for schools in MOof 226 towns All about Macon →
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.

Household income+48%
Households in Macon earn more
Macon $61,642Eldon $41,684
Work in town+23.8 pts
More of Macon’s workers stay in town
Macon 42.9%Eldon 19.1%
Property tax bill+33%
Tax bills are bigger in Macon
Macon $1,024Eldon $769
Rent+21%
Rent runs higher in Eldon
Eldon $822Macon $680
Street grid+51%
Eldon has the more walkable street grid
Eldon 90.1Macon 59.6
★ What stands out · Report cards

Macon places higher on 14 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.

Safety
BEldonSafer than 64% of U.S. towns B−MaconSafer than 50% of U.S. towns
Schools
AEldonBetter than 87% of districts in the state B+MaconBetter than 67% of districts in the state
Health
C−EldonHealthier than 18% of U.S. towns CMaconHealthier than 34% of U.S. towns
7Eldon
14Macon

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

Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #6#170 Highest incomeIncome · 261 towns #239#127 Lowest depressionHealth · 261 towns #152#51 Most walkableOutdoors · 261 towns #58#148 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #27#86 Fewest smokersHealth · 261 towns #151#89 Cheapest rentCost of living · 256 towns #85#26 Most educatedPeople · 261 towns #179#126

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

Eldon$1,100/mo
Typical home $195K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.49% · or rent about $822/mo · Housing →
Macon$1,090/mo
Typical home $187K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $680/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
EldonMacon
Snow a year4″15″
January low25°F19°F
July high89°F87°F
Growing season (days)216d195d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)24th46th
Outdoors & history
EldonMacon
Trails—1 mi
Conserved land—2%
Settled—1856
National Register places—3
Archive photos—10
Community
EldonMacon
Library hours a week46 hrs44 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

96 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

EldonMOMaconMO
Eldon ↔ Macon96 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.

EldonMacon
People
Population 4,556Lowest 5,466Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.3%Lowest MO: +2.8% -0.3%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 44.3±6.8Lowest 14% above MO 46.1±4.3Highest 18% above MO
Macon and Eldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 18.7%±4.3Lowest MO: 22.3% 21.1%±3.6Highest MO: 22.3%
Macon and Eldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.2%±4.9Lowest MO: 17.9% 23.5%±3.5Highest MO: 17.9%
Macon and Eldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.5%Lowest MO: 32.4% 22.4%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.4%±0.6Lowest MO: 5.7% 2.5%±1.4Highest MO: 5.7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $41,684±$8kLowest 41% below MO $61,642±$7kHighest 13% below MO
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $157,400±$45kHighest 32% below MO $151,800±$15kLowest 34% below MO
Eldon and Macon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $822±$57Highest 20% below MO $680±$59Lowest 34% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $769Lowest 61% below MO $1,024Highest 47% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 38.7%±14.4Lowest MO: 45.6% 50.7%±12.3Highest MO: 45.6%
Macon and Eldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.8%Highest MO: 12.6% 10.5%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68.5%Highest MO: 68.1% 65.9%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 4 yrs older than MO 1970Lowest 8 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minHighest 13% below MO 18 minLowest 23% below MO
Work from home 6.4%±3Highest MO: 13% 4.7%±2.7Lowest MO: 13%
Eldon and Macon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 19.1%Lowest 42.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miHighest 17.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.26Lowest 1.72Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Jefferson City (15%)Moberly (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MaconFew work in Eldon
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.8%Lowest 2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 1.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 8Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 90.1Highest 59.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #77 of 226 in MO#73 of 226 in MO
School district ELDON R-IMACON CO. R-I
High school in town Eldon HighMacon Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school 18.7Highest 13.4Lowest
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.

Eldon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Eldon’s Town Square.

Macon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Macon’s Town Square.

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Bordering Eldon

A
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Aurora Springs230 people · $146K homes

Towns like Eldon

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Ste. Genevieve5,010 people · $172K homes
B
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Burdine Township3,199 people · $169K homes
B
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Brookfield4,144 people · $102K homes
P
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Piney Township4,871 people · $124K 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.

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