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%

Higbee$1,440/mo

Typical home $223K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.47% · or rent about $709/mo · Housing →

Alba$500/mo

Typical home $83K (Census) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $865/mo · Housing →

The difference: $950 a month, about $11,300 a year, between Higbee and Alba.

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

Grades and rankings, side by side

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.

Schools

C−HigbeeBetter than 15% of districts in the state –AlbaNot graded

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

HigbeeAlba

Snow a year15″8″

January low19°F —

July high87°F —

Growing season (days)195d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)52nd 71st

Outdoors & history

HigbeeAlba

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land0%—

Settled—1882

Famous people born here—1

Community

HigbeeAlba

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

176 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

HigbeeMO AlbaMO

Higbee ↔ Alba176 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

HigbeeAlba

People

Population 507Lowest 624Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -19.2%Lowest MO: +2.8% -2%Highest MO: +2.8%

Median age 28.8±11.9Lowest 26% below MO 29±9.4Highest 26% below MO

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

Kids under 18 14.4%±5.7Lowest MO: 22.3% 40.5%±19.9Highest MO: 22.3%

Age 65+ 17.8%±8.9Highest MO: 17.9% 12.3%±4.4Lowest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.4%Highest MO: 32.4% 13.3%Lowest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±3.1Lowest MO: 5.7% 2.4%±1.8Highest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $49,531±$28kLowest 30% below MO $51,510±$4kHighest 27% below MO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $56,200±$26kLowest 76% below MO $83,200±$10kHighest 64% below MO

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $709±$448Lowest 31% below MO $865±$168Highest 16% below MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $826Highest 58% below MO $722Lowest 63% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 63.3%±45.5Highest MO: 45.6% 42.5%±34.5Lowest MO: 45.6%

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

Below poverty line 9.1%Lowest MO: 12.6% 32.4%Highest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 73%Highest MO: 68.1% 67.7%Lowest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 20 yrs older than MO 1977Highest 1 yr older than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 23 minLowest about the MO average 35 minHighest 50% above MO

Work from home 0%±4.1Lowest MO: 13% 9%±8.3Highest MO: 13%

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

Work in townworking residents 0% 0%

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.3 miHighest 12.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.74Highest 0.18Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Moberly (21%)Joplin (28%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AlbaFew work in Higbee

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 133Highest 131Lowest

Schools

School district HIGBEE R-VIII—

High school in town Higbee High—

Students per teacherat that high school 9.5 —

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.

Higbee neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Higbee’s Town Square.

Alba neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alba’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Higbee

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Leeton660 people · $100K 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.

Higbee vs Alba

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $950 more a month in Higbee

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

176 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Higbee and Alba

Towns like Higbee

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