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%

Kennard$1,400/mo

Typical home $238K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.80% · or rent about $1,125/mo · Housing →

Benjamin$400/mo

Typical home $63K (Census) · tax rate 1.34% · or rent about $527/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,000 a month, about $12,000 a year, between Kennard and Benjamin.

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.

Schools

B−KennardBetter than 48% of districts in the state ABenjaminBetter than 85% of districts in the state

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

KennardBenjamin

Snow a year0″1″

January low35°F 30°F

July high92°F 97°F

Growing season (days)239d 227d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)22nd 39th

Community

KennardBenjamin

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

309 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

KennardTX BenjaminTX

Kennard ↔ Benjamin309 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 Texas average

KennardBenjamin

People

Population 270Highest 266Lowest

Median age 31±12.5Highest 13% below TX 25.5±11.5Lowest 28% below TX

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

Kids under 18 25.6%±9.3Lowest TX: 25% 46.6%±2.1Highest TX: 25%

Age 65+ 21.5%±2.6Highest TX: 13.4% 9%±11.6Lowest TX: 13.4%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 8%Lowest TX: 33.8% 12.1%Highest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.1%±8.5Highest TX: 6.2% 0%±8Lowest TX: 6.2%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $82,500±$44kHighest 5% above TX $52,708±$13kLowest 33% below TX

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $105,000±$57kHighest 63% below TX $62,900±$26kLowest 78% below TX

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,125±$758Highest 20% below TX $527±$179Lowest 62% below TX

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $843Lowest 80% below TX $844Highest 80% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 TX: 51.7% 0%±100 TX: 51.7%

Below poverty line 18.5%Highest TX: 13.8% 4%Lowest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 61.5%Highest TX: 62.6% 60.4%Lowest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 18 yrs older than TX 1955Lowest 37 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 20% above TX 24 minLowest 9% below TX

Work from home 5.2%±9.9Highest TX: 14.4% 0%±16.5Lowest TX: 14.4%

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

Work in townworking residents 8%Highest 1.5%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 35.3 miLowest 77.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.11Highest 0.22Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Lufkin (14%)Knox City (15%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BenjaminFew work in Kennard

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 10.8%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 26.3Lowest 75.3Highest

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.

Kennard neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Kennard’s Town Square.

Benjamin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Benjamin’s Town Square.

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Towns like Kennard

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Cranfills Gap305 people · $102K 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.

Kennard vs Benjamin

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $1,000 more a month in Kennard

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

309 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

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Towns like Kennard

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