Compare towns
Penelope vs Anderson 110 miles apart. The biggest differences: typical home built (45 yrs in Penelope) and street grid (+52% in Anderson).
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.
Penelope A small town of 235
Quiet strengths Penelope doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Penelope →
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.
★ What stands out · Monthly cost A typical home costs $1,660 more a month in Anderson 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 payment3.5% 10% 20% Rate
Penelope $1,690 /mo
Typical home $250K (Zillow) · tax rate est. 1.8% · Housing →
Anderson $3,350 /mo
Typical home $550K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.02% · Housing →
The difference: $1,660 a month , about $19,900 a year , between Anderson and Penelope.
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.
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
Growing season (days) 250d — Outdoors & history
National Register places — 1 Community
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 110 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Penelope ↔ Anderson 110 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.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Population
235 Highest 202 Lowest
Median age
40.9 ±2.9 Highest 15% above TX 39.2 ±6.1 Lowest 10% above TX
Kids under 18
23.8% ±9 Lowest TX: 25% 34.7% ±7.8 Highest TX: 25%
Age 65+
17.9% ±12.4 Lowest TX: 13.4% 22.8% ±19.3 Highest TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.6% Lowest TX: 33.8% 27.5% Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.6% ±7.4 Lowest TX: 6.2% 6.9% ±5.9 Highest TX: 6.2%
Household incomemedian
$60,000 ±$25k Lowest 24% below TX $85,000 ±$58k Highest 8% above TX
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
— $216,200 ±$66k 24% below TX
Property taxmedian, yearly
— $2,200 48% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
40% ±100 Highest TX: 51.7% 16.7% ±100 Lowest TX: 51.7%
Below poverty line
16.2% Highest TX: 13.8% 4.7% Lowest TX: 13.8%
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.3% Highest TX: 62.6% 84.1% Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1958 Lowest 34 yrs older than TX 2003 Highest 11 yrs newer than TX
Average commuteone way
21 min Highest 22% below TX 19 min Lowest 29% below TX
Work from home
2.8% ±6.4 Lowest TX: 14.4% 14.7% ±13.6 Highest TX: 14.4%
Work in townworking residents
0% Lowest 0.9% Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
56.8 mi Highest 34.8 mi Lowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.44 Lowest 0.58 Highest
Top workplaceoutside town
Waco (11%) Houston (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Anderson Few work in Penelope
Conserved landshare of the town
0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles
0.0 mi Lowest 1.3 mi Highest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.0 mi Lowest 2.6 mi Highest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
0 Lowest 1 Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
46.3 Lowest 70.4 Highest
School district
— ANDERSON-SHIRO CISD
High school in town
— None in town
“±” Census margin of error ACS 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.
Penelope or Anderson: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Penelope? → Moving to Penelope: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Penelope’s Town Square.
Anderson or Penelope: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Anderson? → Moving to Anderson: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Anderson’s Town Square.
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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