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Compare towns

Liberty vs Jackson

289 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2× in Liberty) and rent (+29% in Liberty).

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Liberty, MOA history townMissouri · 30,689 people
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Jackson, MOAn outdoors townMissouri · 15,659 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.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $450 more a month in Liberty

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.

Liberty$2,040/mo
Typical home $330K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.15% · or rent about $1,160/mo · Housing →
Jackson$1,600/mo
Typical home $276K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.68% · or rent about $900/mo · Housing →

The difference: $450 a month, about $5,300 a year, between Liberty and Jackson.

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

Liberty places higher on 11 of 23 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.

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
LibertyJackson
Snow a year13″8″
January low19°F24°F
July high87°F90°F
Growing season (days)198d202d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)31st76th
Outdoors & history
LibertyJackson
Conserved land2.7%2.3%
Settled1822—
National Register places156
Archive photos127
Famous people born here2313
Community
LibertyJackson
Library hours a week69 hrs57 hrs
Colleges in town1—
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

289 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Liberty ↔ Jackson289 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.

LibertyJackson
People
Population 30,689Highest 15,659Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.5%Lowest MO: +2.8% +12.5%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 37.8±1.7Highest 3% below MO 37.1±2.1Lowest 5% below MO
Liberty and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.5%±2.4Lowest MO: 22.3% 24.7%±3Highest MO: 22.3%
Jackson and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.9%±1.4Lowest MO: 17.9% 17.2%±2.4Highest MO: 17.9%
Jackson and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 39.6%Highest MO: 32.4% 35.8%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.4%±1Highest MO: 5.7% 5.2%±1.7Lowest MO: 5.7%
Liberty and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $88,542±$9kHighest 25% above MO $77,105±$7kLowest 9% above MO
Liberty and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $283,300±$10kHighest 23% above MO $240,000±$18kLowest 4% above MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,160±$103Highest 12% above MO $900±$114Lowest 13% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,267Highest 68% above MO $1,622Lowest 17% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.4%±8.8Highest MO: 45.6% 37.2%±10.2Lowest MO: 45.6%
Liberty and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7%Lowest MO: 12.6% 8.6%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73%Highest MO: 68.1% 71.1%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1986Lowest 8 yrs newer than MO 1991Highest 13 yrs newer than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minHighest about the MO average 20 minLowest 14% below MO
Work from home 15.9%±2.5Highest MO: 13% 12.4%±3.8Lowest MO: 13%
Liberty and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 17.9%Lowest 19.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.8 miHighest 9.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.35Highest 0.81Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (33%)Cape Girardeau (31%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in JacksonFew work in Liberty
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.7%Highest 2.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 13.2 miLowest 20.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miLowest 1.9 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 17Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 40.9Lowest 67.1Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #57 of 226 in MO#80 of 226 in MO
School district LIBERTY 53JACKSON R-II
High school in town Liberty North High SchoolJackson SR. High
Students per teacherat that high school 17.4Highest 16.8Lowest
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.

Liberty neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Liberty’s Town Square.

Jackson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jackson’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Liberty

Towns like Liberty

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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