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Marlin vs Hearne

35 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+54% in Marlin) and growth since 2010 (+10.4 pts in Hearne).

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Marlin, TXHomes around $92KTexas · 5,516 people

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Hearne, TXHomes around $175KTexas · 4,555 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.

MarlinHomes around $92K

Housing$92K typical home69% below the TX typical home

Outdoors#114 most walkable in TX0.5 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Health98% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Marlin →

HearneHomes around $175K

Housing$175K typical home42% below the TX typical home

Outdoors#147 most walkable in TX0.5 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Health98% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Hearne →

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.

Property tax bill+54%

Tax bills are bigger in Marlin

Marlin $1,525Hearne $993

Growth since 2010+10.4 pts

Hearne has grown faster since 2010

Hearne +1.9%Marlin -8.5%

Average commute6 min

Hearne has the shorter commute

Marlin 24 minHearne 18 min

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $430 more a month in Hearne

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%

Marlin$660/mo

Typical home $92K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.31% · or rent about $689/mo · Housing →

Hearne$1,090/mo

Typical home $175K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.19% · or rent about $641/mo · Housing →

The difference: $430 a month, about $5,200 a year, between Hearne and Marlin.

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

Hearne 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

B−MarlinSafer than 45% of U.S. towns B−HearneSafer than 53% of U.S. towns

Schools

C−MarlinBetter than 15% of districts in the state DHearneBetter than 10% of districts in the state

Health

D−MarlinHealthier than 2% of U.S. towns D−HearneHealthier than 2% of U.S. towns

8Marlin

12Hearne

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

Most remote workersWork · 624 towns #186#491 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #476#256 Shortest commuteGetting around · 653 towns #270#70 Fastest growingGrowth · 640 towns #593#433 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #493#368 Most educatedPeople · 653 towns #450#544 Lowest property taxCost of living · 647 towns #103#15 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 652 towns #418#488

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

MarlinHearne

Snow a year—1″

January low—39°F

July high—95°F

Growing season (days)—277d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)13th 33rd

Outdoors & history

MarlinHearne

Trails1 mi 1 mi

Conserved land3.1%3.8%

Settled1834 —

National Register places1 1

Archive photos6 —

Famous people born here24 —

Community

MarlinHearne

Library hours a week—37 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

35 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MarlinTX HearneTX

Marlin ↔ Hearne35 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 Texas average

MarlinHearne

People

Population 5,516Highest 4,555Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8.5%Lowest TX: +15.9% +1.9%Highest TX: +15.9%

Median age 35±2.5Lowest about the TX average 37.1±8.1Highest 4% above TX

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

Kids under 18 23.4%±5Lowest TX: 25% 23.5%±5Highest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 16.2%±3.7Lowest TX: 13.4% 17.6%±4Highest TX: 13.4%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.2%Highest TX: 33.8% 12.5%Lowest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.8%±3Highest TX: 6.2% 3%±2.1Lowest TX: 6.2%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $36,426±$12kLowest 54% below TX $37,372±$7kHighest 52% below TX

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $66,000±$21kLowest 77% below TX $83,200±$15kHighest 71% below TX

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $689±$54Highest 51% below TX $641±$134Lowest 54% below TX

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,525Highest 64% below TX $993Lowest 77% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47%±8.5Lowest TX: 51.7% 62.7%±14.3Highest TX: 51.7%

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

Below poverty line 26.7%Lowest TX: 13.8% 27.3%Highest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 66.1%Highest TX: 62.6% 60.5%Lowest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1967Lowest 25 yrs older than TX 1970Highest 22 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 11% below TX 18 minLowest 33% below TX

Work from home 13.4%±8.3Highest TX: 14.4% 4%±3.7Lowest TX: 14.4%

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

Work in townworking residents 13.1%Lowest 17.6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 51.8 miHighest 29.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.53Lowest 0.78Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Waco (16%)Bryan (13%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HearneFew work in Marlin

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.1%Lowest 3.8%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.5 mi 0.5 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 97.5Highest 89.1Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #569 of 583 in TX #579 of 583 in TX

School district MARLIN ISDHEARNE ISD

High school in town Marlin HighHearne JH/HS

Students per teacherat that high school 14.5Highest 7.6Lowest

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.

Marlin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marlin’s Town Square.

Hearne neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hearne’s Town Square.

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Towns like Marlin

Breckenridge5,170 people · $76K homes

Carrizo Springs4,723 people · $87K homes

Lamesa8,393 people · $95K homes

Childress5,834 people · $86K 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.