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Jackson vs Pleasant Hill

270 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (9.3× in Jackson) and property tax bill (+49% in Pleasant Hill).

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Jackson, MOAn outdoors townMissouri · 15,659 people
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Pleasant Hill, MOKnown for its schoolsMissouri · 8,847 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.

JacksonAn outdoors town
Outdoors#6 most trails in MO21 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 66%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Schools#80 for schools in MOof 226 towns All about Jackson →
Pleasant HillKnown for its schools
Schools#108 for schools in MOof 226 towns HealthHealthier than 55%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$373K typical home39% above the MO typical home All about Pleasant Hill →
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.

Trails9.3×
Jackson has more miles of trail
Jackson 20.5 miPleasant Hill 2.2 mi
Property tax bill+49%
Tax bills are bigger in Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill $2,423Jackson $1,622
Average commute13 min
Jackson has the shorter commute
Pleasant Hill 33 minJackson 20 min
Rent+30%
Rent runs higher in Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill $1,174Jackson $900
Street grid+60%
Jackson has the more walkable street grid
Jackson 67.1Pleasant Hill 41.9
Jobs per worker+59%
Jackson is more of a job hub
Jackson 0.81Pleasant Hill 0.51
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $630 more a month in Pleasant Hill

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.

Jackson$1,600/mo
Typical home $276K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.68% · or rent about $900/mo · Housing →
Pleasant Hill$2,230/mo
Typical home $373K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $1,174/mo · Housing →

The difference: $630 a month, about $7,500 a year, between Pleasant Hill and Jackson.

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

Jackson places higher on 16 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
BJacksonSafer than 64% of U.S. towns B+Pleasant HillSafer than 73% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+JacksonBetter than 74% of districts in the state A−Pleasant HillBetter than 77% of districts in the state
Health
B+JacksonHealthier than 66% of U.S. towns BPleasant HillHealthier than 55% of U.S. towns
16Jackson
5Pleasant Hill

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

Most trailsOutdoors · 151 towns #6#112 Shortest commuteGetting around · 261 towns #92#256 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #241#94 Most walkableOutdoors · 261 towns #118#204 Cheapest rentCost of living · 256 towns #114#197 Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #75#6 Lowest obesityHealth · 261 towns #40#119 Most remote workersWork · 255 towns #79#152

Left end = #1 in Missouri. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Jackson’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
JacksonPleasant Hill
Snow a year8″17″
January low24°F21°F
July high90°F88°F
Growing season (days)202d204d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th46th
Outdoors & history
JacksonPleasant Hill
Trails21 mi2 mi
Conserved land2.3%2%
Settled—1844
National Register places61
Archive photos76
Famous people born here135
Community
JacksonPleasant Hill
Library hours a week57 hrs50 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

270 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

JacksonMOPleasant HillMO
Jackson ↔ Pleasant Hill270 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.

JacksonPleasant Hill
People
Population 15,659Highest 8,847Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +12.5%Highest MO: +2.8% +8.2%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 37.1±2.1Highest 5% below MO 34.7±4.3Lowest 11% below MO
Jackson and Pleasant Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.7%±3Highest MO: 22.3% 21.7%±3.7Lowest MO: 22.3%
Jackson and Pleasant Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.2%±2.4Highest MO: 17.9% 16.5%±3.5Lowest MO: 17.9%
Jackson and Pleasant Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35.8%Highest MO: 32.4% 31.7%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.2%±1.7Highest MO: 5.7% 4.5%±1.6Lowest MO: 5.7%
Jackson and Pleasant Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $77,105±$7kLowest 9% above MO $95,602±$15kHighest 35% above MO
Pleasant Hill and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $240,000±$18kLowest 4% above MO $278,400±$34kHighest 21% above MO
Pleasant Hill and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $900±$114Lowest 13% below MO $1,174±$157Highest 14% above MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,622Lowest 17% below MO $2,423Highest 24% above MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 37.2%±10.2Lowest MO: 45.6% 38.7%±18.4Highest MO: 45.6%
Pleasant Hill and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.6%Highest MO: 12.6% 6%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 71.1%Highest MO: 68.1% 69.2%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1991Lowest 13 yrs newer than MO 1993Highest 15 yrs newer than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 14% below MO 33 minHighest 42% above MO
Work from home 12.4%±3.8Highest MO: 13% 7.2%±2.2Lowest MO: 13%
Jackson and Pleasant Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 19.3%Highest 11.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 17.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.81Highest 0.51Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Cape Girardeau (31%)Kansas City (21%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Pleasant HillFew work in Jackson
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.3%Highest 2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 20.5 miHighest 2.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.9 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 10Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 67.1Highest 41.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #80 of 226 in MO#108 of 226 in MO
School district JACKSON R-IIPLEASANT HILL R-III
High school in town Jackson SR. HighPleasant Hill High
Students per teacherat that high school 16.8Highest 15.6Lowest
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.

Jackson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jackson’s Town Square.

Pleasant Hill neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pleasant Hill’s Town Square.

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Bordering Jackson

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Cape Girardeau40,344 people · $196K homes

Towns like Jackson

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Nixa24,836 people · $259K homes
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Kearney10,885 people · $298K homes
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Liberty30,689 people · $283K homes
+ Compare
Grain Valley16,271 people · $284K 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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