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Compare towns

Orchard vs Fruitvale

213 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (2.9× in Orchard) and property tax bill (2.6× in Orchard).

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Orchard, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 338 people
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Fruitvale, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 396 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.

OrchardKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 88%of TX districts All about Orchard →
FruitvaleKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 22%of TX districts All about Fruitvale →
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.

Rent2.9×
Rent runs higher in Orchard
Orchard $1,205Fruitvale $420
Property tax bill2.6×
Tax bills are bigger in Orchard
Orchard $1,988Fruitvale $776
Street grid2.9×
Orchard has the more walkable street grid
Orchard 57.4Fruitvale 19.5
Jobs per worker2.6×
Fruitvale is more of a job hub
Fruitvale 0.95Orchard 0.37
★ 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.

Schools
AOrchardBetter than 88% of districts in the state C−FruitvaleBetter than 22% of districts in the state
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $320 more a month in Orchard

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.

Orchard$1,380/mo
Typical home $231K (Census) · tax rate 0.86% · or rent about $1,205/mo · Housing →
Fruitvale$1,060/mo
Typical home $189K (Census) · tax rate 0.41% · or rent about $420/mo · Housing →

The difference: $320 a month, about $3,900 a year, between Orchard and Fruitvale.

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
OrchardFruitvale
Snow a year0″1″
January low43°F33°F
July high94°F92°F
Growing season (days)305d238d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)62nd18th
Outdoors & history
OrchardFruitvale
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Archive photos9—
Community
OrchardFruitvale
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

213 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

OrchardTXFruitvaleTX
Orchard ↔ Fruitvale213 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.

OrchardFruitvale
People
Population 338Lowest 396Highest
Median age 47.6±17.1Lowest 34% above TX 53.3±15.5Highest 50% above TX
Fruitvale and Orchard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.4%±10.6Highest TX: 25% 19.7%±6.6Lowest TX: 25%
Orchard and Fruitvale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.8%±5.1Lowest TX: 13.4% 32.1%±17.4Highest TX: 13.4%
Fruitvale and Orchard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 8.1%Lowest TX: 33.8% 8.9%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.1%±5.1Highest TX: 6.2% 2%±1.6Lowest TX: 6.2%
Orchard and Fruitvale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $54,583±$30kHighest 30% below TX $50,714±$30kLowest 35% below TX
Orchard and Fruitvale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $231,300±$125kHighest 18% below TX $189,100±$20kLowest 33% below TX
Orchard and Fruitvale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,205±$239Highest 14% below TX $420±$229Lowest 70% below TX
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,988Highest 53% below TX $776Lowest 82% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±50.3Highest TX: 51.7% 22.9%±3.2Lowest TX: 51.7%
Below poverty line 6.8%Lowest TX: 13.8% 9.8%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76%Highest TX: 62.6% 75.3%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 18 yrs older than TX 1966Lowest 26 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 32 minLowest 21% above TX 34 minHighest 28% above TX
Work from home 0%±11Lowest TX: 14.4% 4.5%±4.4Highest TX: 14.4%
Fruitvale and Orchard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.9%Lowest 2.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 27.3 miLowest 36.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.37Lowest 0.95Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Houston (32%)Tyler (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FruitvaleFew work in Orchard
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 57.4Highest 19.5Lowest
Schools
School district BRAZOS ISDFRUITVALE ISD
High school in town None in townFruitvale H S
Students per teacherat that high school — 10.0
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.

Orchard neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Orchard’s Town Square.

Fruitvale neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fruitvale’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Orchard and Fruitvale

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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.

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