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Kempner vs Tom Bean

190 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+16.2 pts in Kempner) and street grid (+86% in Tom Bean).

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Kempner, TXOne of the safest townsTexas · 1,215 people
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Tom Bean, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 799 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.

KempnerOne of the safest towns
SafetySafer than 99%of U.S. towns we grade Housing$369K typical home23% above the TX typical home All about Kempner →
Tom BeanKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 73%of TX districts All about Tom Bean →
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.

Growth since 2010+16.2 pts
Kempner has grown faster since 2010
Kempner +5.2%Tom Bean -11%
Street grid+86%
Tom Bean has the more walkable street grid
Tom Bean 47.2Kempner 25.4
Age 65++6.7 pts
Tom Bean has more people 65 and up
Tom Bean 21.4%Kempner 14.7%
Average commute4 min
Tom Bean has the shorter commute
Kempner 31 minTom Bean 27 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $790 more a month in Kempner

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.

Kempner$2,260/mo
Typical home $369K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.07% · or rent about $1,044/mo · Housing →
Tom Bean$1,470/mo
Typical home $232K (Census) · tax rate 1.31% · or rent about $1,581/mo · Housing →

The difference: $790 a month, about $9,500 a year, between Kempner and Tom Bean.

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
A+KempnerSafer than 99% of U.S. towns –Tom BeanNot graded
Schools
–KempnerNot graded B+Tom BeanBetter than 73% of districts in the state
Health
B−KempnerHealthier than 45% of U.S. towns –Tom BeanNot 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
KempnerTom Bean
Snow a year0″1″
January low—33°F
July high—94°F
Growing season (days)—242d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)30th35th
Outdoors & history
KempnerTom Bean
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Community
KempnerTom Bean
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

190 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

KempnerTXTom BeanTX
Kempner ↔ Tom Bean190 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.

KempnerTom Bean
People
Population 1,215Highest 799Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.2%Highest TX: +15.9% -11%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 47.6±7.9Highest 34% above TX 47.1±8.8Lowest 32% above TX
Kempner and Tom Bean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.6%±4.8Highest TX: 25% 18%±8Lowest TX: 25%
Kempner and Tom Bean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.7%±2.4Lowest TX: 13.4% 21.4%±3.5Highest TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.2%Highest TX: 33.8% 10.3%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4%±3.6Lowest TX: 6.2% 8.4%±3.1Highest TX: 6.2%
Tom Bean and Kempner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $75,357±$16kLowest 4% below TX $88,824±$10kHighest 13% above TX
Tom Bean and Kempner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $249,200±$49kHighest 12% below TX $232,300±$27kLowest 18% below TX
Kempner and Tom Bean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,044±$162Lowest 26% below TX $1,581±$660Highest 13% above TX
Tom Bean and Kempner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,656Lowest 37% below TX $3,035Highest 28% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.2%±16.5Highest TX: 51.7% 27.8%±17.5Lowest TX: 51.7%
Kempner and Tom Bean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 2.5%Lowest TX: 13.8% 2.6%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 74%Highest TX: 62.6% 68.5%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1989Highest 3 yrs older than TX 1979Lowest 13 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 16% above TX 27 minLowest about the TX average
Work from home 18.7%±12.7Highest TX: 14.4% 12.8%±5.5Lowest TX: 14.4%
Kempner and Tom Bean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.5%Lowest 0.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 42.3 miHighest 33.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.14Lowest 0.16Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Copperas Cove (12%)Sherman (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Tom BeanFew work in Kempner
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 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 25.4Lowest 47.2Highest
Schools
School district —TOM BEAN ISD
High school in town —Tom Bean H S
Students per teacherat that high school — 10.0
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.

Kempner neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Kempner’s Town Square.

Tom Bean neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Tom Bean’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Kempner and Tom Bean

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Towns like Kempner

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Archer City1,233 people · $139K 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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