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Kirby vs Silsbee

259 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (12× in Silsbee) and property tax bill (+72% in Kirby).

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Kirby, TXAn outdoors townTexas · 8,117 people
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Silsbee, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 6,842 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.

KirbyAn outdoors town
Outdoors#93 most conserved land in TX0.1 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves Housing$172K typical home43% below the TX typical home SafetySafer than 12%of U.S. towns we grade All about Kirby →
SilsbeeKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 40%of TX districts Housing$178K typical home41% below the TX typical home Outdoors#272 most walkable in TX1.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Silsbee →
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.

Trails12×
Silsbee has more miles of trail
Silsbee 1.2 miKirby 0.1 mi
Property tax bill+72%
Tax bills are bigger in Kirby
Kirby $3,075Silsbee $1,792
Average commute9 min
Kirby has the shorter commute
Silsbee 33 minKirby 24 min
Jobs per worker2.1×
Silsbee is more of a job hub
Silsbee 0.97Kirby 0.46
Work in town+15.9 pts
More of Silsbee’s workers stay in town
Silsbee 16.9%Kirby 1%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Silsbee places higher on 12 of 21 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
DKirbySafer than 12% of U.S. towns BSilsbeeSafer than 61% of U.S. towns
Schools
C−KirbyBetter than 18% of districts in the state C+SilsbeeBetter than 40% of districts in the state
Health
CKirbyHealthier than 34% of U.S. towns C−SilsbeeHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns
9Kirby
12Silsbee

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #499#41 Most conserved landOutdoors · 572 towns #93#504 SafestSafety · 470 towns #433#131 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 652 towns #452#153 Shortest commuteGetting around · 653 towns #300#567 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #217#469 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #256#476 Lowest property taxCost of living · 647 towns #315#143

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Kirby$1,170/mo
Typical home $172K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.86% · or rent about $1,182/mo · Housing →
Silsbee$1,110/mo
Typical home $178K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.21% · or rent about $1,011/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Kirby and Silsbee.

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
KirbySilsbee
Snow a year0″0″
January low40°F—
July high94°F—
Growing season (days)277d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)40th49th
Outdoors & history
KirbySilsbee
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land7.3%0.4%
Settled1955—
Community
KirbySilsbee
Library hours a week—46 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

259 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

KirbyTXSilsbeeTX
Kirby ↔ Silsbee259 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.

KirbySilsbee
People
Population 8,117Highest 6,842Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.8%Lowest TX: +15.9% +4.9%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 38.1±3.5Lowest 7% above TX 40.3±4.3Highest 13% above TX
Silsbee and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.9%±7Highest TX: 25% 26.2%±6Lowest TX: 25%
Kirby and Silsbee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.2%±6Lowest TX: 13.4% 20.9%±3.7Highest TX: 13.4%
Silsbee and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.8%Lowest TX: 33.8% 18.4%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.8%±1.9Highest TX: 6.2% 1.7%±1.1Lowest TX: 6.2%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $55,532±$8kLowest 29% below TX $59,907±$11kHighest 24% below TX
Silsbee and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $165,500±$6kHighest 42% below TX $148,400±$51kLowest 48% below TX
Kirby and Silsbee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,182±$139Highest 16% below TX $1,011±$89Lowest 28% below TX
Kirby and Silsbee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,075Highest 27% below TX $1,792Lowest 58% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40.5%±22.2Lowest TX: 51.7% 46.6%±15.6Highest TX: 51.7%
Silsbee and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 13.5%Lowest TX: 13.8% 20%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 66.1%Lowest TX: 62.6% 67.6%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Highest 14 yrs older than TX 1976Lowest 16 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 9% below TX 33 minHighest 25% above TX
Work from home 5.2%±3Highest TX: 14.4% 4.2%±3.2Lowest TX: 14.4%
Kirby and Silsbee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1%Lowest 16.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 20.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.46Lowest 0.97Highest
Top workplaceoutside town San Antonio (63%)Beaumont (20%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SilsbeeFew work in Kirby
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.3%Highest 0.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 1.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3 3
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.5Highest 68.4Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #556 of 583 in TX#422 of 583 in TX
School district JUDSON ISDSILSBEE ISD
High school in town Judson Learning AcadSilsbee H S
Students per teacherat that high school 13.0Highest 12.6Lowest
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.

Kirby neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Kirby’s Town Square.

Silsbee neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Silsbee’s Town Square.

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Bordering Kirby

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San Antonio1,479,835 people · $236K homes

Towns like Kirby

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Liberty8,650 people · $175K homes
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Cuero8,165 people · $177K homes
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Carthage6,601 people · $164K homes
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Bonham10,697 people · $202K 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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