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Gladstone vs Raytown

16 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (2.6× in Gladstone) and home values (+27% in Gladstone).

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Gladstone, MOAn outdoors townMissouri · 27,207 people
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Raytown, MOAn outdoors townMissouri · 29,445 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.

GladstoneAn outdoors town
Outdoors#35 most walkable in MO2.1 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves Schools#102 for schools in MOof 226 towns Health57% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Gladstone →
RaytownAn outdoors town
Outdoors#47 most walkable in MO0.8 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 5%of U.S. towns we grade Health77% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Raytown →
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.

Trails2.6×
Gladstone has more miles of trail
Gladstone 2.1 miRaytown 0.8 mi
Home values+27%
Homes cost more in Gladstone
Gladstone $231,500Raytown $182,900
Growth since 2010+4.9 pts
Gladstone has grown faster since 2010
Gladstone +6.5%Raytown +1.6%
Bachelor’s degree++9.7 pts
More adults in Gladstone have a degree
Gladstone 31.7%Raytown 22%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Gladstone places higher on 19 of 22 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
CGladstoneSafer than 27% of U.S. towns DRaytownSafer than 5% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+GladstoneBetter than 73% of districts in the state DRaytownBetter than 11% of districts in the state
Health
C+GladstoneHealthier than 43% of U.S. towns C−RaytownHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns
19Gladstone
2Raytown

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

Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #53#184 Best schoolsSchools · 226 towns #102#213 Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #53#162 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #118#177 SafestSafety · 156 towns #95#139 Most activeHealth · 261 towns #85#152 Fastest growingGrowth · 260 towns #75#131 Most affordableCost of living · 260 towns #190#134

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $350 more a month in Gladstone

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.

Gladstone$1,660/mo
Typical home $271K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.07% · or rent about $1,088/mo · Housing →
Raytown$1,310/mo
Typical home $210K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.22% · or rent about $1,218/mo · Housing →

The difference: $350 a month, about $4,200 a year, between Gladstone and Raytown.

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
GladstoneRaytown
Snow a year18″9″
January low20°F—
July high88°F—
Growing season (days)193d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)35th23rd
Outdoors & history
GladstoneRaytown
Trails2 mi1 mi
Conserved land4.5%1.4%
Settled—1849
National Register places11
Archive photos36
Famous people born here28
Community
GladstoneRaytown
Library hours a week69 hrs69 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined11

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

16 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

GladstoneRaytownGladstoneRaytown
Gladstone ↔ Raytown16 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.

GladstoneRaytown
People
Population 27,207Lowest 29,445Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.5%Highest MO: +2.8% +1.6%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 41.9±1.8Highest 7% above MO 40.9±2Lowest 5% above MO
Gladstone and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.5%±2Lowest MO: 22.3% 20.8%±2.6Highest MO: 22.3%
Raytown and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.5%±1.9Highest MO: 17.9% 18.9%±2.1Lowest MO: 17.9%
Gladstone and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 31.7%Highest MO: 32.4% 22%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.9%±0.9Lowest MO: 5.7% 4.5%±1.1Highest MO: 5.7%
Raytown and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $79,271±$6kHighest 12% above MO $68,840±$6kLowest about the MO average
Gladstone and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $231,500±$10kHighest about the MO average $182,900±$7kLowest 21% below MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,088±$69Lowest 5% above MO $1,218±$93Highest 18% above MO
Raytown and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,477Highest 27% above MO $2,239Lowest 15% above MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.1%±7Lowest MO: 45.6% 46.7%±9.2Highest MO: 45.6%
Raytown and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11%Lowest MO: 12.6% 12.5%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68.4%Highest MO: 68.1% 65.1%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1973Highest 5 yrs older than MO 1962Lowest 16 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest about the MO average 24 minHighest about the MO average
Work from home 14.7%±2.8Highest MO: 13% 11.5%±2.7Lowest MO: 13%
Gladstone and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.6%Lowest 5.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miLowest 10.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.58Highest 0.54Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (42%)Kansas City (38%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RaytownFew work in Gladstone
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.5%Highest 1.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 2.1 miHighest 0.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 13Highest 6Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 109Highest 95.5Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #102 of 226 in MO#213 of 226 in MO
School district DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE · NORTH KANSAS CITY 74RAYTOWN C-2
High school in town STAR SchoolRaytown SR. High
Students per teacherat that high school — 16.0
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.

Gladstone neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 6d

Gladstone Commute Time

1 neighbor in Gladstone can answer.

Raytown neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 4d

Raytown School Spirit

1 neighbor in Raytown can answer.

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Bordering Gladstone

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Oakwood142 people · $419K homes
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Oakview377 people · $177K homes
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Oakwood Park204 people · $207K homes

Towns like Gladstone

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Nixa24,836 people · $259K homes
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Washington15,130 people · $232K homes
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Liberty30,689 people · $283K homes
R
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Raymore24,526 people · $339K 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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