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Friona vs Ballinger

256 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+60% in Friona) and work in town (+25 pts in Ballinger).

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Friona, TXAn outdoors townTexas · 4,102 people

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Ballinger, TXAn outdoors townTexas · 3,583 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.

FrionaAn outdoors town

Outdoors#8 most walkable in TX0.0 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves Health57% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$175K typical home42% below the TX typical home All about Friona →

BallingerAn outdoors town

Outdoors#74 most walkable in TX0.7 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves Housing$141K typical home53% below the TX typical home Health64% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Ballinger →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill+60%

Tax bills are bigger in Friona

Friona $2,230Ballinger $1,392

Work in town+25 pts

More of Ballinger’s workers stay in town

Ballinger 44.6%Friona 19.6%

Jobs per worker+86%

Ballinger is more of a job hub

Ballinger 1.06Friona 0.57

Typical home built16 yrs

Ballinger’s homes are older

Friona 1972Ballinger 1956

Growth since 2010+5.1 pts

Friona has grown faster since 2010

Friona +1.2%Ballinger -3.9%

Work from home+4.9 pts

More people work from home in Ballinger

Ballinger 4.9%Friona 0%

★ What stands out · Report cards

Friona places higher on 11 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

A+FrionaSafer than 97% of U.S. towns BBallingerSafer than 57% of U.S. towns

Schools

C+FrionaBetter than 40% of districts in the state C+BallingerBetter than 39% of districts in the state

Health

C+FrionaHealthier than 43% of U.S. towns C+BallingerHealthier than 36% of U.S. towns

11Friona

8Ballinger

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

Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #18#256 SafestSafety · 470 towns #2#152 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 652 towns #545#344 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #122#309 Most remote workersWork · 624 towns #615#455 Most conserved landOutdoors · 572 towns #292#417 Lowest property taxCost of living · 647 towns #209#73 Most educatedPeople · 653 towns #555#441

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $290 more a month in Friona

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%

Friona$1,180/mo

Typical home $175K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.78% · or rent about $1,038/mo · Housing →

Ballinger$890/mo

Typical home $141K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.27% · or rent about $986/mo · Housing →

The difference: $290 a month, about $3,400 a year, between Friona and Ballinger.

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

FrionaBallinger

Snow a year13″1″

January low22°F 31°F

July high91°F 96°F

Growing season (days)182d 233d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)15th 68th

Outdoors & history

FrionaBallinger

Trails0 mi 1 mi

Conserved land2%1%

Settled1906 —

National Register places—3

Community

FrionaBallinger

Library hours a week37 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

256 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FrionaTX BallingerTX

Friona ↔ Ballinger256 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

FrionaBallinger

People

Population 4,102Highest 3,583Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.2%Highest TX: +15.9% -3.9%Lowest TX: +15.9%

Median age 39.9±3.4Lowest 12% above TX 44.7±6.6Highest 26% above TX

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

Kids under 18 25.1%±6.3Highest TX: 25% 21.6%±5Lowest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 21.3%±5.3Lowest TX: 13.4% 24.9%±5.1Highest TX: 13.4%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11.9%Lowest TX: 33.8% 16.6%Highest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±1.8Highest TX: 6.2% 2.2%±1.6Lowest TX: 6.2%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $66,801±$5kHighest 15% below TX $58,870±$5kLowest 25% below TX

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $125,500±$54kHighest 56% below TX $109,400±$21kLowest 61% below TX

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,038±$234Highest 26% below TX $986±$120Lowest 30% below TX

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,230Highest 47% below TX $1,392Lowest 67% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 12.4%±12.1Lowest TX: 51.7% 30.8%±21.6Highest TX: 51.7%

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

Below poverty line 8.9%Highest TX: 13.8% 8.3%Lowest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 79.9%Highest TX: 62.6% 76.1%Lowest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1972Highest 20 yrs older than TX 1956Lowest 36 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 14 minLowest 48% below TX 18 minHighest 33% below TX

Work from home 0%±0.8Lowest TX: 14.4% 4.9%±4.1Highest TX: 14.4%

Work in townworking residents 19.6%Lowest 44.6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 3.8 miLowest 17.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.57Lowest 1.06Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Amarillo (6%)San Angelo (13%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BallingerFew work in Friona

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2%Highest 1%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.7 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 155Highest 106Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #299 of 583 in TX #290 of 583 in TX

School district FRIONA ISDBALLINGER ISD

High school in town Friona H SBallinger H S

Students per teacherat that high school 8.4Lowest 9.2Highest

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.

Friona neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Friona’s Town Square.

Ballinger neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ballinger’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Friona

Bishop3,103 people · $112K homes

Clyde3,954 people · $151K homes

Onalaska3,210 people · $166K homes

West Tawakoni2,382 people · $97K 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.