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Lamar vs Salem

151 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.2× in Salem) and trails (2.4× in Salem).

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Lamar, MOHomes around $191KMissouri · 4,284 people
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Salem, MOKnown for its schoolsMissouri · 4,677 people
Swap order
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.

LamarHomes around $191K
Housing$191K typical home29% below the MO typical home Outdoors#56 most conserved land in MO1.1 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves Health96% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Lamar →
SalemKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 51%of MO districts Outdoors#24 most walkable in MO2.6 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves Housing$192K typical home28% below the MO typical home All about Salem →
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.

Street grid2.2×
Salem has the more walkable street grid
Salem 123Lamar 55.6
Trails2.4×
Salem has more miles of trail
Salem 2.6 miLamar 1.1 mi
Average commute7 min
Salem has the shorter commute
Lamar 22 minSalem 15 min
Property tax bill+20%
Tax bills are bigger in Lamar
Lamar $914Salem $760
★ What stands out · 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.

Lamar$1,120/mo
Typical home $191K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $832/mo · Housing →
Salem$1,110/mo
Typical home $192K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $639/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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

Salem places higher on 16 of 21 MO lists

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

Safety
CLamarSafer than 30% of U.S. towns CSalemSafer than 31% of U.S. towns
Schools
–LamarNot graded B−SalemBetter than 51% of districts in the state
Health
D−LamarHealthier than 4% of U.S. towns DSalemHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns
4Lamar
16Salem

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

Most trailsOutdoors · 151 towns #125#42 Most walkableOutdoors · 261 towns #163#24 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #164#43 Shortest commuteGetting around · 261 towns #134#19 Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #96#6 Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #56#140 Cheapest rentCost of living · 256 towns #90#11 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #98#157

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

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
LamarSalem
Snow a year7″1″
January low22°F22°F
July high88°F88°F
Growing season (days)199d182d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)61st49th
Outdoors & history
LamarSalem
Trails1 mi3 mi
Conserved land4.4%1.8%
Settled1852—
National Register places11
Archive photos4—
Famous people born here5—
Community
LamarSalem
Library hours a week39 hrs40 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

151 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

LamarMOSalemMO
Lamar ↔ Salem151 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.

LamarSalem
People
Population 4,284Lowest 4,677Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.9%Highest MO: +2.8% -6.9%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 39.3±3.4Lowest about the MO average 42.3±2.9Highest 8% above MO
Salem and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.5%±5.6Highest MO: 22.3% 21.8%±4Lowest MO: 22.3%
Lamar and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23%±4.8Highest MO: 17.9% 21.9%±4.7Lowest MO: 17.9%
Lamar and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.7%Highest MO: 32.4% 15.1%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.7%±2.5Lowest MO: 5.7% 5.9%±3Highest MO: 5.7%
Salem and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $36,705±$10kLowest 48% below MO $43,923±$8kHighest 38% below MO
Salem and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $117,200±$13kHighest 49% below MO $115,000±$17kLowest 50% below MO
Lamar and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $832±$58Highest 19% below MO $639±$163Lowest 38% below MO
Lamar and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $914Highest 53% below MO $760Lowest 61% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 60.7%±22.5Highest MO: 45.6% 42.4%±12.7Lowest MO: 45.6%
Lamar and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 32.6%Highest MO: 12.6% 11.1%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 51.6%Highest MO: 68.1% 50%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1973Highest 5 yrs older than MO 1969Lowest 9 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 7% below MO 15 minLowest 35% below MO
Work from home 2.1%±2.8Lowest MO: 13% 5.9%±3.2Highest MO: 13%
Salem and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 30.1%Highest 28.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.3 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.09Lowest 1.32Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Joplin (7%)Rolla (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SalemFew work in Lamar
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.4%Highest 1.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.1 miLowest 2.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 5Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 55.6Lowest 123Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#188 of 226 in MO
School district —SALEM R-80
High school in town —Salem SR. High
Students per teacherat that high school — 15.3
Missouri 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.

Lamar neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lamar’s Town Square.

Salem neighborsTown Square →

1 neighbor in Salem can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Lamar and Salem

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Lamar

C
+ Compare
City Township4,284 people · $117K homes
L
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Lamar Heights111 people · $261K homes

Towns like Lamar

B
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Breckenridge Hills4,402 people · $96K homes
C
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Cotton Hill Township4,830 people · $92K homes
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Malden3,805 people · $101K homes
+ Compare
Cabool2,348 people · $130K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Missouri 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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