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Compare towns

Marshall vs Union

128 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+15.3 pts in Union) and home values (+39% in Union).

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Marshall, MOHomes around $188KMissouri · 13,739 people
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Union, MOHomes around $260KMissouri · 12,781 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 $430 more a month in Union

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.

Marshall$1,120/mo
Typical home $188K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $761/mo · Housing →
Union$1,540/mo
Typical home $260K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.85% · or rent about $858/mo · Housing →

The difference: $430 a month, about $5,100 a year, between Union and Marshall.

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

Union places higher on 14 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
MarshallUnion
Snow a year8″14″
January low19°F23°F
July high88°F91°F
Growing season (days)196d194d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)26th64th
Outdoors & history
MarshallUnion
Trails2 mi2 mi
Conserved land1.9%2.2%
Settled18391826
National Register places6—
Archive photos127
Famous people born here203
Community
MarshallUnion
Library hours a week52 hrs61 hrs
Colleges in town11
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

128 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Marshall ↔ Union128 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.

MarshallUnion
People
Population 13,739Highest 12,781Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.7%Lowest MO: +2.8% +21%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 30.9±1.2Lowest 21% below MO 33.3±2.6Highest 15% below MO
Union and Marshall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.7%±2.4Lowest MO: 22.3% 26.4%±3.6Highest MO: 22.3%
Union and Marshall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.7%±1.9Highest MO: 17.9% 12.4%±1.7Lowest MO: 17.9%
Marshall and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.4%Highest MO: 32.4% 23.7%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 14.9%±2.2Highest MO: 5.7% 3.2%±1.1Lowest MO: 5.7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $54,437±$5kLowest 23% below MO $73,435±$8kHighest 4% above MO
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $147,900±$11kLowest 36% below MO $205,200±$10kHighest 11% below MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $761±$61Lowest 26% below MO $858±$53Highest 17% below MO
Union and Marshall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,236Lowest 37% below MO $1,739Highest 11% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.8%±9.4Highest MO: 45.6% 24.8%±7.5Lowest MO: 45.6%
Below poverty line 17.1%Highest MO: 12.6% 8.1%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 65.4%Highest MO: 68.1% 60.6%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 7 yrs older than MO 1996Highest 18 yrs newer than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 15 minLowest 38% below MO 24 minHighest about the MO average
Work from home 3.8%±1.2Lowest MO: 13% 9%±2.7Highest MO: 13%
Work in townworking residents 43.2%Highest 18.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 6.8 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.07Highest 1.04Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Columbia (5%)Washington (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in UnionFew work in Marshall
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.9%Lowest 2.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.6 miLowest 2.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 8Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 57.9Lowest 61.1Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #204 of 226 in MO#124 of 226 in MO
School district MARSHALLUNION R-XI
High school in town Marshall SR. HighUnion High
Students per teacherat that high school 14.2Lowest 15.4Highest
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.

Marshall neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marshall’s Town Square.

Union neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Union’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Marshall and Union

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Towns like Marshall

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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