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

B+FultonSafer than 67% of U.S. towns B−CarthageSafer than 49% of U.S. towns

Schools

BFultonBetter than 56% of districts in the state BCarthageBetter than 62% of districts in the state

Health

CFultonHealthier than 30% of U.S. towns D−CarthageHealthier than 4% of U.S. towns

11Fulton

11Carthage

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most trailsOutdoors · 151 towns #39#127 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 261 towns #131#261 Most activeHealth · 261 towns #117#239 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #161#50 Lowest obesityHealth · 261 towns #119#228 Fastest growingGrowth · 260 towns #170#62 HealthiestHealth · 261 towns #129#231 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #134#69

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

Down paymentRate%

Fulton$1,530/mo

Typical home $255K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $836/mo · Housing →

Carthage$1,400/mo

Typical home $239K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $975/mo · Housing →

The difference: $130 a month, about $1,500 a year, between Fulton and Carthage.

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

FultonCarthage

Snow a year19″8″

January low20°F 25°F

July high86°F 90°F

Growing season (days)195d 206d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)43rd 41st

Outdoors & history

FultonCarthage

Trails9 mi 2 mi

Conserved land1.7%3.1%

Settled1825 1842

National Register places12 7

Archive photos36 —

Famous people born here18 32

Community

FultonCarthage

Library hours a week53 hrs 51 hrs

Colleges in town2 —

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

175 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FultonMO CarthageMO

Fulton ↔ Carthage175 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 Missouri average

FultonCarthage

People

Population 12,617Lowest 15,574Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.5%Lowest MO: +2.8% +8%Highest MO: +2.8%

Median age 34.9±1.6Highest 11% below MO 32.2±4.1Lowest 17% below MO

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

Kids under 18 18.2%±3.2Lowest MO: 22.3% 32.3%±4.1Highest MO: 22.3%

Age 65+ 15%±2.5Highest MO: 17.9% 13.2%±1.9Lowest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21.7%Lowest MO: 32.4% 22.1%Highest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 12.3%±1.1Highest MO: 5.7% 3.4%±1.1Lowest MO: 5.7%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $51,429±$6kHighest 27% below MO $51,328±$5kLowest 27% below MO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $155,900±$16kHighest 32% below MO $146,800±$9kLowest 36% below MO

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $836±$83Lowest 19% below MO $975±$69Highest 6% below MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,416Highest 27% below MO $1,095Lowest 44% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.2%±11.5Lowest MO: 45.6% 61.2%±16Highest MO: 45.6%

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

Below poverty line 13.9%Lowest MO: 12.6% 27.2%Highest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 48.2%Lowest MO: 68.1% 53%Highest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1969Lowest 9 yrs older than MO 1973Highest 5 yrs older than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minHighest 22% below MO 16 minLowest 34% below MO

Work from home 9.7%±3.8Highest MO: 13% 6.5%±2.9Lowest MO: 13%

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

Work in townworking residents 32.2%Highest 31.6%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.8 miHighest 10.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.55Highest 1.52Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Columbia (17%)Joplin (21%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CarthageFew work in Fulton

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.7%Lowest 3.1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 9.3 miHighest 2.1 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 6Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 39.7Lowest 60.9Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #134 of 226 in MO #148 of 226 in MO

School district DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE · MO SCHOOL FOR THE DEAFCARTHAGE R-IX

High school in town Fulton SR. HighCarthage High School

Students per teacherat that high school 16.0Lowest 18.4Highest

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.

Fulton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fulton’s Town Square.

Carthage neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Carthage’s Town Square.

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Towns like Fulton

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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.

Fulton vs Carthage

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Grades and rankings, side by side

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

175 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Fulton and Carthage

Towns like Fulton

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