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Osceola vs Appleton City

21 miles apart. The biggest differences: conserved land (+26.2 pts in Osceola) and growth since 2010 (+4.4 pts in Osceola).

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Osceola, MOOne of the healthiest townsMissouri · 1,042 people
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Appleton City, MOOne of the healthiest townsMissouri · 1,221 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.

OsceolaOne of the healthiest towns
Health92% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$120K typical home55% below the MO typical home All about Osceola →
Appleton CityOne of the healthiest towns
Health89% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 19%of MO districts Housing$174K typical home35% below the MO typical home All about Appleton City →
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.

Conserved land+26.2 pts
Osceola has more conserved land
Osceola 26.2%Appleton City 0%
Growth since 2010+4.4 pts
Osceola has grown faster since 2010
Osceola -4%Appleton City -8.4%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $350 more a month in Appleton City

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.

Osceola$690/mo
Typical home $120K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $557/mo · Housing →
Appleton City$1,040/mo
Typical home $174K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.92% · or rent about $557/mo · Housing →

The difference: $350 a month, about $4,200 a year, between Appleton City and Osceola.

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
–OsceolaNot graded C−Appleton CityBetter than 19% of districts in the state
Health
DOsceolaHealthier than 8% of U.S. towns DAppleton CityHealthier than 11% 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
OsceolaAppleton City
Snow a year10″10″
January low21°F21°F
July high90°F88°F
Growing season (days)189d202d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)57th61st
Outdoors & history
OsceolaAppleton City
Settled—1870
National Register places11
Archive photos93
Famous people born here55
Community
OsceolaAppleton City
Library hours a week62 hrs24 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

21 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

OsceolaAppleton CityOsceolaAppleton City
Osceola ↔ Appleton City21 miles apart
Who commutes between them
8 Appleton City residents work in Osceola (2.2% of its workers)
6 Osceola residents work in Appleton City (1.8% of its workers)
Work & commute in Appleton City →
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.

OsceolaAppleton City
People
Population 1,042Lowest 1,221Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4%Highest MO: +2.8% -8.4%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 36.9±13.3Lowest 5% below MO 39.7±5.2Highest about the MO average
Appleton City and Osceola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.7%±4Highest MO: 22.3% 20%±5.1Lowest MO: 22.3%
Osceola and Appleton City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 27.6%±7.8Lowest MO: 17.9% 29.3%±5.6Highest MO: 17.9%
Appleton City and Osceola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.3%Highest MO: 32.4% 18.2%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.1%±2Highest MO: 5.7% 2.4%±2.3Lowest MO: 5.7%
Osceola and Appleton City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $42,582±$21kLowest 40% below MO $49,036±$5kHighest 31% below MO
Appleton City and Osceola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $127,000±$30kHighest 45% below MO $98,200±$19kLowest 57% below MO
Osceola and Appleton City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $557±$167 46% below MO $557±$110 46% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $837Lowest 57% below MO $900Highest 54% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 42.9%±8.7Highest MO: 45.6% 33.8%±17.8Lowest MO: 45.6%
Osceola and Appleton City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 26.1%Highest MO: 12.6% 10.9%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 55%Lowest MO: 68.1% 58%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1963Lowest 15 yrs older than MO 1972Highest 6 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 11% above MO 23 minLowest about the MO average
Work from home 14.1%±10Highest MO: 13% 7.5%±3.3Lowest MO: 13%
Osceola and Appleton City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 14%Highest 12%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 28.8 miLowest 32.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.12Lowest 1.36Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Clinton (10%)Clinton (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in Appleton City2% work in Osceola
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 26.2%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 91.4Highest 89.2Lowest
Schools
School district —APPLETON CITY R-II
High school in town —Appleton City High
Students per teacherat that high school — 8.8
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.

Osceola neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Osceola’s Town Square.

Appleton City neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Appleton City’s Town Square.

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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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