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Gladstone vs Washington

196 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (2.8× in Washington) and work in town (+23.7 pts in Washington).

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Gladstone, MOAn outdoors townMissouri · 27,207 people
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Washington, MOA history townMissouri · 15,130 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 →
WashingtonA history town
History42 historic places42 places on the National Register Housing$307K typical home15% above the MO typical home Health55% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Washington →
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.

Jobs per worker2.8×
Washington is more of a job hub
Washington 1.62Gladstone 0.58
Work in town+23.7 pts
More of Washington’s workers stay in town
Washington 28.3%Gladstone 4.6%
Property tax bill+44%
Tax bills are bigger in Gladstone
Gladstone $2,477Washington $1,717
Rent+32%
Rent runs higher in Gladstone
Gladstone $1,088Washington $827
Street grid+65%
Gladstone has the more walkable street grid
Gladstone 109Washington 66.1
★ What stands out · 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.

Gladstone$1,660/mo
Typical home $271K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.07% · or rent about $1,088/mo · Housing →
Washington$1,800/mo
Typical home $307K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $827/mo · Housing →

The difference: $140 a month, about $1,700 a year, between Washington and Gladstone.

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.

Report cards

Gladstone places higher on 11 of 23 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 C+WashingtonSafer than 37% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+GladstoneBetter than 73% of districts in the state B+WashingtonBetter than 73% of districts in the state
Health
C+GladstoneHealthier than 43% of U.S. towns C+WashingtonHealthier than 45% of U.S. towns
11Gladstone
10Washington

Lists won, of 23 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #118#17 Lowest depressionHealth · 261 towns #51#152 Most walkableOutdoors · 261 towns #35#122 Cheapest rentCost of living · 256 towns #170#88 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #62#6 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 85 towns #43#60 Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #53#96 Best schoolsSchools · 226 towns #102#58

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

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
GladstoneWashington
Snow a year18″8″
January low20°F20°F
July high88°F88°F
Growing season (days)193d199d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)35th77th
Outdoors & history
GladstoneWashington
Trails2 mi2 mi
Conserved land4.5%2.5%
National Register places142
Archive photos312
Famous people born here213
Community
GladstoneWashington
Library hours a week69 hrs68 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

196 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

GladstoneMOWashingtonMO
Gladstone ↔ Washington196 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.

GladstoneWashington
People
Population 27,207Highest 15,130Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.5%Highest MO: +2.8% +3.7%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 41.9±1.8Lowest 7% above MO 43.1±3Highest 11% above MO
Washington and Gladstone 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% 20.9%±3Highest MO: 22.3%
Washington 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% 20.1%±2.6Lowest MO: 17.9%
Gladstone and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 31.7%Lowest MO: 32.4% 32.3%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.9%±0.9Lowest MO: 5.7% 4.3%±1.7Highest MO: 5.7%
Washington 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 $79,173±$10kLowest 12% above MO
Gladstone and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $231,500±$10kLowest about the MO average $231,800±$13kHighest about the MO average
Washington and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,088±$69Highest 5% above MO $827±$92Lowest 20% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,477Highest 27% above MO $1,717Lowest 12% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.1%±7Lowest MO: 45.6% 47.8%±9.2Highest MO: 45.6%
Washington and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11%Highest MO: 12.6% 7.9%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68.4%Lowest MO: 68.1% 74%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1973Lowest 5 yrs older than MO 1978Highest same as MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minHighest about the MO average 21 minLowest 10% below MO
Work from home 14.7%±2.8Highest MO: 13% 12.2%±3.5Lowest MO: 13%
Gladstone and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.6%Lowest 28.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miLowest 20.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.58Lowest 1.62Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (42%)Union (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WashingtonFew work in Gladstone
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.5%Highest 2.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 2.1 miHighest 1.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 13Highest 11Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 109Highest 66.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #102 of 226 in MO#58 of 226 in MO
School district DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE · NORTH KANSAS CITY 74WASHINGTON
High school in town STAR SchoolWashington High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 16.1
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.

Washington neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Washington’s Town Square.

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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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Raytown29,445 people · $183K homes
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Liberty30,689 people · $283K homes
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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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