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Meridian vs Three Rivers

241 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2.4× in Meridian) and jobs per worker (5.2× in Three Rivers).

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Meridian, TXOne of the safest townsTexas · 1,638 people
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Three Rivers, TXOne of the safest townsTexas · 1,256 people
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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.

MeridianOne of the safest towns
SafetySafer than 86%of U.S. towns we grade SchoolsBetter than 29%of TX districts Health70% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Meridian →
Three RiversOne of the safest towns
SafetySafer than 94%of U.S. towns we grade Work994 jobsbased in Three Rivers, a regional job hub Health85% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Three Rivers →
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 bill2.4×
Tax bills are bigger in Meridian
Meridian $2,167Three Rivers $906
Jobs per worker5.2×
Three Rivers is more of a job hub
Three Rivers 2.87Meridian 0.55
Growth since 2010+13.7 pts
Meridian has grown faster since 2010
Meridian -6.5%Three Rivers -20.2%
Street grid+76%
Three Rivers has the more walkable street grid
Three Rivers 109Meridian 61.9
Typical home built13 yrs
Meridian’s homes are older
Three Rivers 1981Meridian 1968
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

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
AMeridianSafer than 86% of U.S. towns AThree RiversSafer than 94% of U.S. towns
Schools
CMeridianBetter than 29% of districts in the state B+Three RiversBetter than 73% of districts in the state
Health
CMeridianHealthier than 30% of U.S. towns DThree RiversHealthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $430 more a month in Meridian

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.

Meridian$1,760/mo
Typical home $260K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.86% · or rent about $738/mo · Housing →
Three Rivers$1,330/mo
Typical home $215K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.16% · or rent about $968/mo · Housing →

The difference: $430 a month, about $5,200 a year, between Meridian and Three Rivers.

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.

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
MeridianThree Rivers
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)21st52nd
Outdoors & history
MeridianThree Rivers
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%0.3%
National Register places5—
Archive photos—7
Community
MeridianThree Rivers
Library hours a week23 hrs33 hrs
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

241 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MeridianTXThree RiversTX
Meridian ↔ Three Rivers241 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.

MeridianThree Rivers
People
Population 1,638Highest 1,256Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -6.5%Highest TX: +15.9% -20.2%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 42±8.6Lowest 18% above TX 43.4±7.8Highest 22% above TX
Three Rivers and Meridian are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.2%±4.2Highest TX: 25% 19.1%±7.9Lowest TX: 25%
Meridian and Three Rivers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.6%±3.9Highest TX: 13.4% 21.4%±5.8Lowest TX: 13.4%
Meridian and Three Rivers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12%Highest TX: 33.8% 11.7%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±3.6Highest TX: 6.2% 0.2%±1.3Lowest TX: 6.2%
Meridian and Three Rivers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,625±$15kHighest 16% below TX $46,705±$20kLowest 40% below TX
Meridian and Three Rivers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $116,700±$6kHighest 59% below TX $77,800±$56kLowest 73% below TX
Meridian and Three Rivers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $738±$167Lowest 47% below TX $968±$143Highest 31% below TX
Three Rivers and Meridian are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,167Highest 49% below TX $906Lowest 79% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.4%±14Highest TX: 51.7% 22.1%±14.4Lowest TX: 51.7%
Meridian and Three Rivers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.7%Lowest TX: 13.8% 26.2%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 50.9%Highest TX: 62.6% 47.5%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1968Lowest 24 yrs older than TX 1981Highest 11 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 17% below TX 23 minHighest 13% below TX
Work from home 6.2%±4.8Highest TX: 14.4% 6%±8.4Lowest TX: 14.4%
Meridian and Three Rivers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 12%Lowest 14.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 51.3 miLowest 67.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.55Lowest 2.87Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Fort Worth (8%)Corpus Christi (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Three RiversFew work in Meridian
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 61.9Lowest 109Highest
Schools
School district MERIDIAN ISDTHREE RIVERS ISD
High school in town Meridian H SThree Rivers Jr./Sr. H S
Students per teacherat that high school 8.5Highest 7.3Lowest
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.

Meridian neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Meridian’s Town Square.

Three Rivers neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Three Rivers’s Town Square.

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Towns like Meridian

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Coldspring1,274 people · $217K 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.

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