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Milan vs La Plata

36 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (2.1× in Milan) and work in town (+45.8 pts in Milan).

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Milan, MOHomes around $111KMissouri · 1,859 people
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La Plata, MOHomes around $127KMissouri · 1,351 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.

MilanHomes around $111K
Housing$111K typical home58% below the MO typical home Work1,666 jobsbased in Milan, a regional job hub Health93% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Milan →
La PlataHomes around $127K
Housing$127K typical home53% below the MO typical home Health70% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates History4 historic places4 places on the National Register All about La Plata →
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.

Rent2.1×
Rent runs higher in Milan
Milan $697La Plata $334
Work in town+45.8 pts
More of Milan’s workers stay in town
Milan 59.1%La Plata 13.3%
Jobs per worker3.5×
Milan is more of a job hub
Milan 2.33La Plata 0.67
Average commute10 min
Milan has the shorter commute
La Plata 23 minMilan 13 min
Age 65++11.5 pts
La Plata has more people 65 and up
La Plata 27.2%Milan 15.7%
Kids under 18+6.7 pts
Milan has more kids
Milan 25.6%La Plata 18.9%
★ What stands out · 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.

Safety
B−MilanSafer than 54% of U.S. towns –La PlataNot graded
Schools
CMilanBetter than 26% of districts in the state BLa PlataBetter than 56% of districts in the state
Health
DMilanHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns CLa PlataHealthier than 30% of U.S. towns
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.

Milan$670/mo
Typical home $111K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.89% · or rent about $697/mo · Housing →
La Plata$750/mo
Typical home $127K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.81% · or rent about $334/mo · Housing →

The difference: $80 a month, about $1,000 a year, between La Plata and Milan.

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
MilanLa Plata
Snow a year17″19″
January low—15°F
July high—86°F
Growing season (days)—179d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)45th46th
Outdoors & history
MilanLa Plata
Trails0 mi4 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Settled1845—
National Register places24
Archive photos54
Famous people born here32
Community
MilanLa Plata
Library hours a week27 hrs16 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

36 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MilanMOLa PlataMO
Milan ↔ La Plata36 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.

MilanLa Plata
People
Population 1,859Highest 1,351Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -7.2%Highest MO: +2.8% -8%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 41.3±5.7Lowest 6% above MO 44±6Highest 13% above MO
La Plata and Milan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.6%±2.9Highest MO: 22.3% 18.9%±3.7Lowest MO: 22.3%
Age 65+ 15.7%±4.2Lowest MO: 17.9% 27.2%±4.9Highest MO: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.8%Highest MO: 32.4% 14.2%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.1%±2.9Lowest MO: 5.7% 8.1%±4.7Highest MO: 5.7%
La Plata and Milan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $56,063±$6kHighest 21% below MO $50,000±$12kLowest 29% below MO
Milan and La Plata are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $89,400±$13kLowest 61% below MO $105,800±$18kHighest 54% below MO
La Plata and Milan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $697±$85Highest 33% below MO $334±$15Lowest 68% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $800Lowest 59% below MO $856Highest 56% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25.2%±13Lowest MO: 45.6% 33.7%±30.2Highest MO: 45.6%
La Plata and Milan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.7%Highest MO: 12.6% 9.1%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.7%Lowest MO: 68.1% 65.6%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1966Highest 12 yrs older than MO 1964Lowest 14 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 13 minLowest 45% below MO 23 minHighest about the MO average
Work from home 3.5%±3.2Lowest MO: 13% 6.4%±4.5Highest MO: 13%
La Plata and Milan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 59.1%Highest 13.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 0.8 miLowest 18.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.33Highest 0.67Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Kirksville (3%)Kirksville (24%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in La PlataFew work in Milan
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 3.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 2.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.2Highest 74.5Lowest
Schools
School district MILAN C-2LA PLATA R-II
High school in town Milan C-2 High SchoolLa Plata High
Students per teacherat that high school 9.8Highest 8.9Lowest
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.

Milan neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Milan’s Town Square.

La Plata neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to La Plata’s Town Square.

Add a town

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

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