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Lexington vs Sullivan

160 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (7× in Lexington) and jobs per worker (+86% in Sullivan).

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Lexington, MOA history townMissouri · 4,606 people

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Sullivan, MOKnown for its schoolsMissouri · 6,310 people

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.

LexingtonA history town

HistorySettled in 182223 places on the National Register SchoolsBetter than 23%of MO districts

Outdoors#50 most conserved land in MO2.8 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves All about Lexington →

SullivanKnown for its schools

Schools#53 for schools in MOof 226 towns Housing$211K typical home21% below the MO typical home SafetySafer than 5%of U.S. towns we grade All about Sullivan →

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.

Lexington has more miles of trail

Lexington 2.8 miSullivan 0.4 mi

Jobs per worker+86%

Sullivan is more of a job hub

Sullivan 1.43Lexington 0.77

Work in town+12.7 pts

More of Sullivan’s workers stay in town

Sullivan 26.2%Lexington 13.5%

Typical home built14 yrs

Lexington’s homes are older

Sullivan 1976Lexington 1962

★ What stands out · Report cards

Lexington places higher on 14 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

C+LexingtonSafer than 41% of U.S. towns DSullivanSafer than 5% of U.S. towns

Schools

C−LexingtonBetter than 23% of districts in the state A−SullivanBetter than 76% of districts in the state

Health

CLexingtonHealthier than 31% of U.S. towns C−SullivanHealthier than 19% of U.S. towns

14Lexington

7Sullivan

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

Best schoolsSchools · 226 towns #208#53 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #169#54 Lowest depressionHealth · 261 towns #92#203 Lowest obesityHealth · 261 towns #94#203 Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #6#96 SafestSafety · 156 towns #75#140 Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #50#112 Shortest commuteGetting around · 261 towns #79#131

Left end = #1 in Missouri. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Lexington’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.

Down paymentRate%

Lexington$1,260/mo

Typical home $208K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $801/mo · Housing →

Sullivan$1,250/mo

Typical home $211K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $919/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.

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

LexingtonSullivan

Snow a year14″8″

January low20°F —

July high88°F —

Growing season (days)197d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th 32nd

Outdoors & history

LexingtonSullivan

Trails3 mi 0 mi

Conserved land4.7%2.2%

Settled1822 —

National Register places23 2

Famous people born here18 —

Community

LexingtonSullivan

Library hours a week49 hrs 59 hrs

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

160 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

LexingtonMO SullivanMO

Lexington ↔ Sullivan160 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 Missouri average

LexingtonSullivan

People

Population 4,606Lowest 6,310Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.6%Highest MO: +2.8% -2.5%Lowest MO: +2.8%

Median age 37.2±4.4Lowest 5% below MO 39.4±4.1Highest about the MO average

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

Kids under 18 25.9%±6.3Highest MO: 22.3% 24.1%±4.5Lowest MO: 22.3%

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

Age 65+ 17.3%±4.5Lowest MO: 17.9% 20.3%±3.4Highest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.1%Highest MO: 32.4% 18.9%Lowest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3%±1.7Highest MO: 5.7% 2.1%±1.4Lowest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $56,905±$12kLowest 20% below MO $63,370±$8kHighest 10% below MO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $161,300±$16kLowest 30% below MO $163,200±$7kHighest 29% below MO

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $801±$117Lowest 22% below MO $919±$56Highest 11% below MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,525Highest 22% below MO $1,372Lowest 30% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46.1%±15.2Highest MO: 45.6% 41%±9.2Lowest MO: 45.6%

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

Below poverty line 17%Highest MO: 12.6% 11.4%Lowest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 59.6%Lowest MO: 68.1% 62.4%Highest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 16 yrs older than MO 1976Highest 2 yrs older than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 19% below MO 22 minHighest 7% below MO

Work from home 7.8%±5.9Highest MO: 13% 5.4%±2.7Lowest MO: 13%

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

Work in townworking residents 13.5%Lowest 26.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.8 miHighest 25.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.77Lowest 1.43Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (14%)Union (4%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SullivanFew work in Lexington

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.7%Highest 2.2%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 2.8 miHighest 0.4 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 3Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 46.7Lowest 56.6Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #208 of 226 in MO #53 of 226 in MO

School district LEXINGTON R-VSULLIVAN

High school in town Lexington HighSullivan SR. High

Students per teacherat that high school 16.9Highest 13.9Lowest

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.

Lexington neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lexington’s Town Square.

Sullivan neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sullivan’s Town Square.

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Towns like Lexington

Fredericktown4,507 people · $136K homes

Mount Vernon4,563 people · $187K homes

Mount Pleasant Township5,012 people · $152K homes

Carrollton Township3,818 people · $129K 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.