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 C+WashingtonSafer than 37% of U.S. towns

Schools

B+JacksonBetter than 74% of districts in the state B+WashingtonBetter than 73% of districts in the state

Health

B+JacksonHealthier than 66% of U.S. towns C+WashingtonHealthier than 45% of U.S. towns

16Jackson

7Washington

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

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #241#6 Most trailsOutdoors · 151 towns #6#132 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 85 towns #23#60 Lowest obesityHealth · 261 towns #40#146 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #97#17 Lowest depressionHealth · 261 towns #51#152 SafestSafety · 156 towns #30#80 Fastest growingGrowth · 260 towns #41#99

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Washington

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%

Jackson$1,600/mo

Typical home $276K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.68% · or rent about $900/mo · Housing →

Washington$1,800/mo

Typical home $307K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $827/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,400 a year, between Washington 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.

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

JacksonWashington

Snow a year8″8″

January low24°F 20°F

July high90°F 88°F

Growing season (days)202d 199d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th 77th

Outdoors & history

JacksonWashington

Trails21 mi 2 mi

Conserved land2.3%2.5%

National Register places6 42

Archive photos7 12

Famous people born here13 13

Community

JacksonWashington

Library hours a week57 hrs 68 hrs

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

110 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

JacksonMO WashingtonMO

Jackson ↔ Washington110 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

JacksonWashington

People

Population 15,659Highest 15,130Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +12.5%Highest MO: +2.8% +3.7%Lowest MO: +2.8%

Median age 37.1±2.1Lowest 5% below MO 43.1±3Highest 11% above MO

Kids under 18 24.7%±3Highest MO: 22.3% 20.9%±3Lowest MO: 22.3%

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

Age 65+ 17.2%±2.4Lowest MO: 17.9% 20.1%±2.6Highest MO: 17.9%

Washington and Jackson 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% 32.3%Lowest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.2%±1.7Highest MO: 5.7% 4.3%±1.7Lowest MO: 5.7%

Jackson and Washington 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 $79,173±$10kHighest 12% above MO

Washington 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±$18kHighest 4% above MO $231,800±$13kLowest about the MO average

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $900±$114Highest 13% below MO $827±$92Lowest 20% below MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,622Lowest 17% below MO $1,717Highest 12% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 37.2%±10.2Lowest MO: 45.6% 47.8%±9.2Highest MO: 45.6%

Washington 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% 7.9%Lowest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 71.1%Lowest MO: 68.1% 74%Highest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1991Highest 13 yrs newer than MO 1978Lowest same as MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 14% below MO 21 minHighest 10% below MO

Work from home 12.4%±3.8Highest MO: 13% 12.2%±3.5Lowest MO: 13%

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

Work in townworking residents 19.3%Lowest 28.3%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 20.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.81Lowest 1.62Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Cape Girardeau (31%)Union (6%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WashingtonFew work in Jackson

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.3%Lowest 2.5%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 20.5 miHighest 1.8 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.9 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 11Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 67.1Highest 66.1Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #80 of 226 in MO #58 of 226 in MO

School district JACKSON R-IIWASHINGTON

High school in town Jackson SR. HighWashington High School

Students per teacherat that high school 16.8Highest 16.1Lowest

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.

Washington neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Washington’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Jackson and Washington

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Jackson

+ Compare

Cape Girardeau40,344 people · $196K homes

Towns like Jackson

+ Compare

Nixa24,836 people · $259K homes

+ Compare

Kearney10,885 people · $298K homes

+ Compare

Pleasant Hill8,847 people · $278K homes

+ Compare

Liberty30,689 people · $283K 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.

Jackson vs Washington

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Jackson places higher on 16 of 23 MO lists

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Washington

What daily life feels like in each

110 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Jackson and Washington

Bordering Jackson

Towns like Jackson

Post to Jackson

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