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Malden vs Lamar

244 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (5.3× in Malden) and property tax bill (+42% in Lamar).

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Malden, MOHomes around $88KMissouri · 3,805 people

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Lamar, MOHomes around $191KMissouri · 4,284 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.

MaldenHomes around $88K

Housing$88K typical home67% below the MO typical home Health99% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates

Outdoors#48 most trails in MO5.8 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves All about Malden →

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 →

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.

Malden has more miles of trail

Malden 5.8 miLamar 1.1 mi

Property tax bill+42%

Tax bills are bigger in Lamar

Lamar $914Malden $642

Growth since 2010+7.4 pts

Lamar has grown faster since 2010

Lamar -5.9%Malden -13.3%

Work in town+12 pts

More of Lamar’s workers stay in town

Lamar 30.1%Malden 18.1%

Bachelor’s degree++8.1 pts

More adults in Lamar have a degree

Lamar 18.7%Malden 10.6%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $620 more a month in Lamar

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%

Malden$510/mo

Typical home $88K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $673/mo · Housing →

Lamar$1,120/mo

Typical home $191K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $832/mo · Housing →

The difference: $620 a month, about $7,400 a year, between Lamar and Malden.

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

Lamar places higher on 14 of 20 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

–MaldenNot graded CLamarSafer than 30% of U.S. towns

Health

D−MaldenHealthier than under 1% of U.S. towns D−LamarHealthier than 4% of U.S. towns

6Malden

14Lamar

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #194#56 Most trailsOutdoors · 151 towns #48#125 Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #188#96 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #249#164 Most educatedPeople · 261 towns #248#165 Cheapest rentCost of living · 256 towns #24#90 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #146#98 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 261 towns #237#179

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

MaldenLamar

Snow a year7″7″

January low28°F 22°F

July high88°F 88°F

Growing season (days)227d 199d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)86th 61st

Outdoors & history

MaldenLamar

Trails6 mi 1 mi

Conserved land0.8%4.4%

Settled1877 1852

National Register places—1

Archive photos6 4

Famous people born here6 5

Community

MaldenLamar

Library hours a week48 hrs 39 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

244 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MaldenMO LamarMO

Malden ↔ Lamar244 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

MaldenLamar

People

Population 3,805Lowest 4,284Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -13.3%Lowest MO: +2.8% -5.9%Highest MO: +2.8%

Median age 38.7±2.7Lowest about the MO average 39.3±3.4Highest about the MO average

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

Kids under 18 28.5%±6.1Highest MO: 22.3% 24.5%±5.6Lowest MO: 22.3%

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

Age 65+ 19.8%±4Lowest MO: 17.9% 23%±4.8Highest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 10.6%Lowest MO: 32.4% 18.7%Highest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2%±1.6Lowest MO: 5.7% 2.7%±2.5Highest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $40,118±$7kHighest 43% below MO $36,705±$10kLowest 48% below MO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $101,300±$24kLowest 56% below MO $117,200±$13kHighest 49% below MO

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $673±$139Lowest 35% below MO $832±$58Highest 19% below MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $642Lowest 67% below MO $914Highest 53% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 50.1%±16.6Lowest MO: 45.6% 60.7%±22.5Highest MO: 45.6%

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

Below poverty line 30.1%Lowest MO: 12.6% 32.6%Highest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 51%Lowest MO: 68.1% 51.6%Highest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1970Lowest 8 yrs older than MO 1973Highest 5 yrs older than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 6% below MO 22 minLowest 7% below MO

Work from home 2.1%±1.7 MO: 13% 2.1%±2.8 MO: 13%

Work in townworking residents 18.1%Lowest 30.1%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miLowest 24.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.87Lowest 1.09Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Dexter (12%)Joplin (7%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in LamarFew work in Malden

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Lowest 4.4%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 5.8 miHighest 1.1 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 50.2Lowest 55.6Highest

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.

Malden neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Malden’s Town Square.

Lamar neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lamar’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Malden and Lamar

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

Bordering Malden

Cotton Hill Township4,830 people · $92K homes

Towns like Malden

Breckenridge Hills4,402 people · $96K homes

Piedmont2,911 people · $98K homes

Licking2,858 people · $117K homes

Charleston4,482 people · $124K 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.