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%

Marston$410/mo

Typical home $70K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $682/mo · Housing →

Qulin$990/mo

Typical home $148K (Zillow) · tax rate est. 1.8% · or rent about $624/mo · Housing →

The difference: $590 a month, about $7,000 a year, between Qulin and Marston.

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

Grades and rankings, side by side

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.

Schools

–MarstonNot graded C+QulinBetter than 39% of districts in the state

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

MarstonQulin

Snow a year7″4″

January low28°F —

July high88°F —

Growing season (days)227d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)93rd 87th

Community

MarstonQulin

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

36 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MarstonMO QulinMO

Marston ↔ Qulin36 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

MarstonQulin

People

Population 400Lowest 570Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -21.1% MO: +2.8% —

Median age 38.2±18.4Lowest about the MO average 40.7±14.1Highest 4% above MO

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

Kids under 18 25.8%±7.3Highest MO: 22.3% 6.8%±5Lowest MO: 22.3%

Age 65+ 9.5%±9.2Lowest MO: 17.9% 17.2%±13.4Highest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 2.9%Lowest MO: 32.4% 3.9%Highest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±4.2Lowest MO: 5.7% 6%±6.3Highest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $35,000±$11kHighest 50% below MO $23,365±$9kLowest 67% below MO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $64,300±$18k 72% below MO —

Rentmedian gross, monthly $682±$31Highest 34% below MO $624±$13Lowest 40% below MO

Property taxmedian, yearly $465Highest 76% below MO $427Lowest 78% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46.5%±58.4Lowest MO: 45.6% 83.7%±38.1Highest MO: 45.6%

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

Below poverty line 32.5%Lowest MO: 12.6% 40.4%Highest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 41.5%Lowest MO: 68.1% 47.5%Highest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1979 1 yr newer than MO 1979 1 yr newer than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 47 minHighest 101% above MO 27 minLowest 17% above MO

Work from home 0%±7.9Lowest MO: 13% 1.2%±1.3Highest MO: 13%

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

Work in townworking residents 3.5%Highest 2.6%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.3 miHighest 16.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 4.79Highest 0.43Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town New Madrid (13%)Poplar Bluff (31%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in QulinFew work in Marston

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 60.2Lowest 136Highest

Schools

School district —TWIN RIVERS R-X

High school in town —None in town

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.

Marston neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marston’s Town Square.

Qulin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Qulin’s Town Square.

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Towns like Marston

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Bell City496 people · $48K 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.

Marston vs Qulin

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $590 more a month in Qulin

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

36 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

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Towns like Marston

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