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Grain Valley vs Festus

213 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2.1× in Grain Valley) and trails (4.5× in Grain Valley).

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Grain Valley, MOKnown for its schoolsMissouri · 16,271 people
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Festus, MOKnown for its schoolsMissouri · 13,201 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.

Grain ValleyKnown for its schools
Schools#67 for schools in MOof 226 towns Housing$329K typical home23% above the MO typical home Outdoors#82 most walkable in MO0.9 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves All about Grain Valley →
FestusKnown for its schools
Schools#15 for schools in MOof 226 towns Housing$306K typical home14% above the MO typical home Outdoors#36 most conserved land in MO0.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Festus →
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 bill2.1×
Tax bills are bigger in Grain Valley
Grain Valley $3,182Festus $1,520
Trails4.5×
Grain Valley has more miles of trail
Grain Valley 0.9 miFestus 0.2 mi
Rent+52%
Rent runs higher in Grain Valley
Grain Valley $1,398Festus $922
Growth since 2010+12.1 pts
Grain Valley has grown faster since 2010
Grain Valley +21.6%Festus +9.5%
Work from home+9.5 pts
More people work from home in Grain Valley
Grain Valley 18%Festus 8.5%
Home values+27%
Homes cost more in Grain Valley
Grain Valley $283,800Festus $223,600
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grain Valley places higher on 11 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
B−Grain ValleySafer than 54% of U.S. towns B−FestusSafer than 54% of U.S. towns
Schools
AGrain ValleyBetter than 86% of districts in the state AFestusBetter than 90% of districts in the state
Health
BGrain ValleyHealthier than 56% of U.S. towns CFestusHealthier than 26% of U.S. towns
11Grain Valley
10Festus

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

Lowest obesityHealth · 261 towns #48#203 Lowest depressionHealth · 261 towns #240#92 Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #6#96 Cheapest rentCost of living · 256 towns #228#122 Most remote workersWork · 255 towns #41#131 Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #114#36 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #111#25 Lowest property taxCost of living · 259 towns #213#136

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $260 more a month in Grain Valley

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.

Grain Valley$2,030/mo
Typical home $329K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.12% · or rent about $1,398/mo · Housing →
Festus$1,780/mo
Typical home $306K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.68% · or rent about $922/mo · Housing →

The difference: $260 a month, about $3,100 a year, between Grain Valley and Festus.

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
Grain ValleyFestus
Snow a year9″9″
January low—22°F
July high—88°F
Growing season (days)—197d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)49th63rd
Outdoors & history
Grain ValleyFestus
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land2.1%5.3%
Settled18781887
Archive photos3—
Famous people born here1—
Community
Grain ValleyFestus
Library hours a week61 hrs53 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

213 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Grain ValleyMOFestusMO
Grain Valley ↔ Festus213 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.

Grain ValleyFestus
People
Population 16,271Highest 13,201Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +21.6%Highest MO: +2.8% +9.5%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 35.2±2.6Lowest 10% below MO 36.7±1.7Highest 6% below MO
Festus and Grain Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29.9%±4.1Highest MO: 22.3% 27.8%±4.4Lowest MO: 22.3%
Grain Valley and Festus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.4%±1.8Lowest MO: 17.9% 15.8%±2.7Highest MO: 17.9%
Festus and Grain Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 27.4%Highest MO: 32.4% 24.4%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±0.9Lowest MO: 5.7% 3.7%±2.2Highest MO: 5.7%
Festus and Grain Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $89,649±$8kHighest 27% above MO $73,532±$8kLowest 4% above MO
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $283,800±$13kHighest 23% above MO $223,600±$13kLowest about the MO average
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,398±$88Highest 35% above MO $922±$36Lowest 11% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,182Highest 63% above MO $1,520Lowest 22% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 37.7%±9.8Highest MO: 45.6% 28.6%±9.4Lowest MO: 45.6%
Grain Valley and Festus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9.7%Lowest MO: 12.6% 17.1%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 65%Highest MO: 68.1% 57.8%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 2002Highest 24 yrs newer than MO 1983Lowest 5 yrs newer than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minLowest 10% above MO 26 minHighest 12% above MO
Work from home 18%±4.9Highest MO: 13% 8.5%±2.4Lowest MO: 13%
Work in townworking residents 6.3%Lowest 9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 25.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.42Lowest 0.72Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (25%)St. Louis (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FestusFew work in Grain Valley
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.1%Lowest 5.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 78.7Lowest 92.2Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #67 of 226 in MO#15 of 226 in MO
School district GRAIN VALLEY R-VFESTUS R-VI
High school in town Grain Valley HighFestus SR. High
Students per teacherat that high school 17.0Lowest 18.0Highest
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.

Grain Valley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Grain Valley’s Town Square.

Festus neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Festus’s Town Square.

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Bordering Grain Valley

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Missouri towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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