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Compare towns

Pierce City vs Purdy

10 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (6 min in Purdy) and property tax bill (+18% in Pierce City).

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Pierce City, MOOne of the healthiest townsMissouri · 1,477 people
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Purdy, MOKnown for its schoolsMissouri · 1,121 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.

Pierce CityOne of the healthiest towns
Health92% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$133K typical home50% below the MO typical home HistorySettled in 18702 places on the National Register All about Pierce City →
PurdyKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 14%of MO districts Health83% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$217K typical home19% below the MO typical home All about Purdy →
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.

Average commute6 min
Purdy has the shorter commute
Pierce City 24 minPurdy 18 min
Property tax bill+18%
Tax bills are bigger in Pierce City
Pierce City $658Purdy $557
Street grid+40%
Purdy has the more walkable street grid
Purdy 100Pierce City 71.4
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $490 more a month in Purdy

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.

Pierce City$750/mo
Typical home $133K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.49% · or rent about $776/mo · Housing →
Purdy$1,250/mo
Typical home $217K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.60% · or rent about $539/mo · Housing →

The difference: $490 a month, about $5,900 a year, between Purdy and Pierce City.

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
C+Pierce CityBetter than 41% of districts in the state DPurdyBetter than 14% of districts in the state
Health
DPierce CityHealthier than 8% of U.S. towns C−PurdyHealthier than 17% 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
Pierce CityPurdy
Snow a year6″7″
January low—24°F
July high—88°F
Growing season (days)—199d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)78th65th
Outdoors & history
Pierce CityPurdy
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled1870—
National Register places2—
Archive photos2—
Famous people born here1—
Community
Pierce CityPurdy
Library hours a week32 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

10 miles apart

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

Pierce CityPurdyPierce CityPurdy
Pierce City ↔ Purdy10.0 miles apart
Who commutes between them
6 Pierce City residents work in Purdy (1.1% of its workers)
Work & commute in Pierce 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.

Pierce CityPurdy
People
Population 1,477Highest 1,121Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.2%Highest MO: +2.8% -6.1%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 29±5.3Lowest 26% below MO 30.8±6Highest 21% below MO
Purdy and Pierce City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 38%±1.1Highest MO: 22.3% 34.9%±6.8Lowest MO: 22.3%
Pierce City and Purdy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 8.3%±1.8Lowest MO: 17.9% 14.8%±8.8Highest MO: 17.9%
Purdy and Pierce City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 5.8%Lowest MO: 32.4% 7.9%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±2Highest MO: 5.7% 0.4%±1.4Lowest MO: 5.7%
Pierce City and Purdy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $51,121±$11kHighest 28% below MO $36,711±$11kLowest 48% below MO
Pierce City and Purdy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $135,600±$35kHighest 41% below MO $92,300±$43kLowest 60% below MO
Pierce City and Purdy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $776±$55Highest 25% below MO $539±$411Lowest 48% below MO
Pierce City and Purdy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $658Highest 66% below MO $557Lowest 71% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 21.8%±10.9Lowest MO: 45.6% 44.3%±26Highest MO: 45.6%
Purdy and Pierce City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 31.8%Lowest MO: 12.6% 36.9%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 65.6%Highest MO: 68.1% 61.4%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1968Lowest 10 yrs older than MO 1979Highest 1 yr newer than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 3% above MO 18 minLowest 23% below MO
Work from home 10.7%±9.1Highest MO: 13% 3.2%±4Lowest MO: 13%
Pierce City and Purdy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.3%Lowest 4.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miHighest 10.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.56Lowest 0.80Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Monett (29%)Monett (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 1% work in PurdyFew work in Pierce City
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 71.4Lowest 100Highest
Schools
School district PIERCE CITY R-VIPURDY R-II
High school in town Pierce City HighPurdy High
Students per teacherat that high school 12.8Highest 11.5Lowest
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.

Pierce City neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pierce City’s Town Square.

Purdy neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Purdy’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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