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Compare towns

Kemp vs Wheeler

311 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (18 min in Wheeler) and work in town (+25.2 pts in Wheeler).

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Kemp, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 1,302 people
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Wheeler, TXHomes around $129KTexas · 1,431 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.

KempOne of the healthiest towns
Health79% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Kemp →
WheelerHomes around $129K
Housing$129K typical home57% below the TX typical home SchoolsBetter than 90%of TX districts Health79% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Wheeler →
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.

Average commute18 min
Wheeler has the shorter commute
Kemp 36 minWheeler 17 min
Work in town+25.2 pts
More of Wheeler’s workers stay in town
Wheeler 26.5%Kemp 1.3%
Property tax bill+41%
Tax bills are bigger in Kemp
Kemp $2,843Wheeler $2,010
Growth since 2010+4.4 pts
Kemp has grown faster since 2010
Kemp -2.2%Wheeler -6.6%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $980 more a month in Kemp

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.

Kemp$1,790/mo
Typical home $269K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.69% · or rent about $1,036/mo · Housing →
Wheeler$810/mo
Typical home $129K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.26% · or rent about $994/mo · Housing →

The difference: $980 a month, about $11,700 a year, between Kemp and Wheeler.

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 Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
C+KempSafer than 41% of U.S. towns –WheelerNot graded
Schools
B−KempBetter than 52% of districts in the state AWheelerBetter than 90% of districts in the state
Health
C−KempHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns C−WheelerHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns
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
KempWheeler
Snow a year—4″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th81st
Outdoors & history
KempWheeler
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0%
Settled1922—
Community
KempWheeler
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

311 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

KempTXWheelerTX
Kemp ↔ Wheeler311 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.

KempWheeler
People
Population 1,302Lowest 1,431Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.2%Highest TX: +15.9% -6.6%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 39.3±7.7Highest 10% above TX 37.8±4.1Lowest 6% above TX
Kemp and Wheeler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 32.2%±10.8Highest TX: 25% 28.7%±5.8Lowest TX: 25%
Kemp and Wheeler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.8%±9.5Lowest TX: 13.4% 20.2%±3.9Highest TX: 13.4%
Wheeler and Kemp are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.9%Lowest TX: 33.8% 18.4%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.6%±1.8Highest TX: 6.2% 0.9%±1.6Lowest TX: 6.2%
Kemp and Wheeler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $55,833±$21kLowest 29% below TX $56,346±$18kHighest 28% below TX
Wheeler and Kemp are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $168,100±$24kHighest 41% below TX $159,000±$18kLowest 44% below TX
Kemp and Wheeler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,036±$394Highest 26% below TX $994±$156Lowest 29% below TX
Kemp and Wheeler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,843Highest 33% below TX $2,010Lowest 53% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 50%±26.1Highest TX: 51.7% 38.1%±29.4Lowest TX: 51.7%
Kemp and Wheeler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 25.2%Highest TX: 13.8% 18%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.2%Highest TX: 62.6% 71.8%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1977Highest 15 yrs older than TX 1973Lowest 19 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 36 minHighest 33% above TX 17 minLowest 36% below TX
Work from home 15.7%±15.3Highest TX: 14.4% 1.8%±2.7Lowest TX: 14.4%
Kemp and Wheeler are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.3%Lowest 26.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 43.8 miHighest 29.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.69Lowest 0.92Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Dallas (16%)Amarillo (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WheelerFew work in Kemp
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 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 74.7Lowest 77.1Highest
Schools
School district KEMP ISD—
High school in town Kemp H S—
Students per teacherat that high school 12.2 —
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.

Kemp neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Kemp’s Town Square.

Wheeler neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wheeler’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Kemp and Wheeler

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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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