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Merkel vs Waskom

347 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4× in Waskom) and street grid (2.1× in Merkel).

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Merkel, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,699 people

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Waskom, TXHomes around $191KTexas · 2,084 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.

MerkelKnown for its schools

Schools#280 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$208K typical home31% below the TX typical home

Outdoors#166 most walkable in TX0.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Merkel →

WaskomHomes around $191K

Housing$191K typical home36% below the TX typical home Health71% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Waskom →

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.

Waskom has more miles of trail

Waskom 0.8 miMerkel 0.2 mi

Street grid2.1×

Merkel has the more walkable street grid

Merkel 85.3Waskom 40.0

Property tax bill+42%

Tax bills are bigger in Merkel

Merkel $1,164Waskom $819

Growth since 2010+7 pts

Merkel has grown faster since 2010

Merkel -4.6%Waskom -11.6%

Work in town+11.2 pts

More of Merkel’s workers stay in town

Merkel 19.9%Waskom 8.7%

Typical home built15 yrs

Merkel’s homes are older

Waskom 1976Merkel 1961

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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%

Merkel$1,260/mo

Typical home $208K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.01% · or rent about $1,058/mo · Housing →

Waskom$1,140/mo

Typical home $191K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.89% · or rent about $928/mo · Housing →

The difference: $120 a month, about $1,400 a year, between Merkel and Waskom.

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 Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

B+MerkelSafer than 69% of U.S. towns –WaskomNot graded

Schools

BMerkelBetter than 59% of districts in the state BWaskomBetter than 60% of districts in the state

Health

C−MerkelHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns CWaskomHealthier than 29% of U.S. towns

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

MerkelWaskom

Snow a year2″0″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)39th 28th

Outdoors & history

MerkelWaskom

Trails0 mi 1 mi

Conserved land0%0%

Community

MerkelWaskom

Library hours a week—24 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

347 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MerkelTX WaskomTX

Merkel ↔ Waskom347 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

MerkelWaskom

People

Population 2,699Highest 2,084Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.6%Highest TX: +15.9% -11.6%Lowest TX: +15.9%

Median age 35.4±6.7Lowest about the TX average 36.2±7.9Highest about the TX average

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

Kids under 18 29.7%±5.4Highest TX: 25% 24.6%±4.1Lowest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 17.2%±3.3Highest TX: 13.4% 17.1%±3.6Lowest TX: 13.4%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.4%Highest TX: 33.8% 10.4%Lowest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.1%±1.8 TX: 6.2% 2.1%±1.9 TX: 6.2%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $73,500±$24kHighest 6% below TX $55,781±$22kLowest 29% below TX

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $115,100±$43kHighest 59% below TX $92,000±$11kLowest 68% below TX

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,058±$120Highest 25% below TX $928±$166Lowest 34% below TX

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,164Highest 72% below TX $819Lowest 81% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 11.3%±11.2Lowest TX: 51.7% 50%±94.9Highest TX: 51.7%

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

Below poverty line 11.4%Lowest TX: 13.8% 17.1%Highest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 73%Lowest TX: 62.6% 74.1%Highest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1961Lowest 31 yrs older than TX 1976Highest 16 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 27 minHighest about the TX average 27 minLowest about the TX average

Work from home 5%±3.1Lowest TX: 14.4% 5.3%±9.3Highest TX: 14.4%

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

Work in townworking residents 19.9%Highest 8.7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miLowest 39.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.78Lowest 0.82Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Abilene (38%)Marshall (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WaskomFew work in Merkel

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miLowest 0.8 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 85.3Highest 40.0Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #280 of 583 in TX—

School district MERKEL ISDWASKOM ISD

High school in town Merkel H SWaskom H S

Students per teacherat that high school 7.7Lowest 8.3Highest

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.

Merkel neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Merkel’s Town Square.

Waskom neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Waskom’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Merkel and Waskom

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Towns like Merkel

Itasca2,073 people · $115K homes

Cotulla3,664 people · $93K homes

Crane2,640 people · $165K homes

Karnes City3,605 people · $93K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas 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.