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Jarrell vs Ponder

164 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.2× in Jarrell) and street grid (2.1× in Jarrell).

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Jarrell, TXHomes around $252KTexas · 3,295 people
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Ponder, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,626 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.

JarrellHomes around $252K
Housing$252K typical home16% below the TX typical home SchoolsBetter than 30%of TX districts Work1,882 jobsbased in Jarrell, a regional job hub All about Jarrell →
PonderKnown for its schools
Schools#147 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$310K typical home4% above the TX typical home HealthHealthier than 87%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Ponder →
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 worker4.2×
Jarrell is more of a job hub
Jarrell 1.63Ponder 0.39
Street grid2.1×
Jarrell has the more walkable street grid
Jarrell 58.2Ponder 27.8
★ What stands out · Report cards

Ponder places higher on 12 of 20 TX lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
A−JarrellSafer than 77% of U.S. towns APonderSafer than 94% of U.S. towns
Schools
CJarrellBetter than 30% of districts in the state A−PonderBetter than 75% of districts in the state
Health
BJarrellHealthier than 57% of U.S. towns APonderHealthier than 87% of U.S. towns
7Jarrell
12Ponder

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Best schoolsSchools · 583 towns #509#147 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 652 towns #291#69 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #351#571 Most activeHealth · 652 towns #226#34 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 632 towns #388#242 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #217#83 HealthiestHealth · 651 towns #212#81 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #3#93

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $440 more a month in Ponder

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.

Jarrell$1,640/mo
Typical home $252K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.54% · or rent about $1,868/mo · Housing →
Ponder$2,090/mo
Typical home $310K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.79% · or rent about $2,158/mo · Housing →

The difference: $440 a month, about $5,300 a year, between Ponder and Jarrell.

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
JarrellPonder
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)17th42nd
Outdoors & history
JarrellPonder
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Community
JarrellPonder
Library hours a week—27 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

164 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

JarrellTXPonderTX
Jarrell ↔ Ponder164 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.

JarrellPonder
People
Population 3,295Highest 2,626Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +78.2%Highest TX: +15.9% +75.1%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 34.9±2.7Highest about the TX average 33.2±2.8Lowest 7% below TX
Jarrell and Ponder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.7%±4.9Lowest TX: 25% 33.1%±7.6Highest TX: 25%
Ponder and Jarrell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 10.7%±2.8 TX: 13.4% 10.7%±4.1 TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 31.6%Lowest TX: 33.8% 33.5%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.5%±4.3Highest TX: 6.2% 2.6%±1.7Lowest TX: 6.2%
Jarrell and Ponder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $111,333±$12kHighest 42% above TX $106,250±$15kLowest 35% above TX
Jarrell and Ponder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $346,300±$14kHighest 22% above TX $321,000±$20kLowest 13% above TX
Jarrell and Ponder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,868±$225Lowest 33% above TX $2,158±$88Highest 54% above TX
Ponder and Jarrell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,317Lowest 26% above TX $5,742Highest 36% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 29.2%±25.1Lowest TX: 51.7% 50.9%±20.6Highest TX: 51.7%
Ponder and Jarrell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 2.2%Highest TX: 13.8% 1%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 83.7%Lowest TX: 62.6% 87.5%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2015Highest 23 yrs newer than TX 2008Lowest 16 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 33 minHighest 25% above TX 30 minLowest 13% above TX
Work from home 11%±4.4Lowest TX: 14.4% 12.8%±5.7Highest TX: 14.4%
Ponder and Jarrell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.5%Highest 1.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.8 miHighest 23.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.63Highest 0.39Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Austin (27%)Fort Worth (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PonderFew work in Jarrell
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.7 miLowest 1.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 58.2Highest 27.8Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #509 of 583 in TX#147 of 583 in TX
School district JARRELL ISDPONDER ISD
High school in town None in townPonder H S
Students per teacherat that high school — 12.4
Texas 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.

Jarrell neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jarrell’s Town Square.

Ponder neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ponder’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Jarrell

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Sonterra10,563 people · $274K homes

Towns like Jarrell

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Godley2,809 people · $372K homes
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Palmhurst2,601 people · $375K homes
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Aurora1,760 people · $342K homes
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Reno3,500 people · $236K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas 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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