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Compare towns

Polk Township vs Jasper

183 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (33.1× in Jasper) and average commute (45 min in Jasper).

P ×
Polk Township, MOKnown for its schoolsDeKalb County · 909 people
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Jasper, MOKnown for its schoolsMissouri · 808 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.

Polk TownshipKnown for its schools
Schools#50 for schools in MOof 226 towns HealthHealthier than 50%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Polk Township →
JasperKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 28%of MO districts All about Jasper →
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.

Street grid33.1×
Jasper has the more walkable street grid
Jasper 72.9Polk Township 2.2
Average commute45 min
Jasper has the shorter commute
Polk Township 67 minJasper 22 min
Property tax bill+64%
Tax bills are bigger in Polk Township
Polk Township $1,091Jasper $665
Work from home+15 pts
More people work from home in Polk Township
Polk Township 17.8%Jasper 2.8%
Jobs per worker2.8×
Jasper is more of a job hub
Jasper 0.87Polk Township 0.31
Rent+34%
Rent runs higher in Polk Township
Polk Township $896Jasper $667
★ 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.

Schools
B+Polk TownshipBetter than 73% of districts in the state CJasperBetter than 28% of districts in the state
Health
B−Polk TownshipHealthier than 50% of U.S. towns –JasperNot graded
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.

Polk Township$740/mo
Typical home $124K (Census) · tax rate 0.88% · or rent about $896/mo · Housing →
Jasper$720/mo
Typical home $126K (Census) · tax rate 0.53% · or rent about $667/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
Polk TownshipJasper
Snow a year18″7″
January low—22°F
July high—88°F
Growing season (days)—199d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)53rd71st
Outdoors & history
Polk TownshipJasper
Trails2 mi0 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Settled1845—
Archive photos—1
Community
Polk TownshipJasper
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

183 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Polk TownshipDeKalb CountyJasperMO
Polk Township ↔ Jasper183 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.

Polk TownshipJasper
People
Population 909Highest 808Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4%Lowest MO: +2.8% -2.7%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 38.1±9.8Highest about the MO average 36.2±4.1Lowest 7% below MO
Polk Township and Jasper are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23%±3.8Lowest MO: 22.3% 24.9%±4.3Highest MO: 22.3%
Jasper and Polk Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24.4%±4.8Highest MO: 17.9% 18.1%±3.1Lowest MO: 17.9%
Polk Township and Jasper are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.6%Highest MO: 32.4% 16.5%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.7%±4.3Highest MO: 5.7% 3.1%±1.8Lowest MO: 5.7%
Polk Township and Jasper are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,455±$10kHighest 7% below MO $51,458±$18kLowest 27% below MO
Polk Township and Jasper are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $123,500±$29kLowest 46% below MO $126,200±$24kHighest 45% below MO
Jasper and Polk Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $896±$146Highest 13% below MO $667±$52Lowest 35% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,091Highest 44% below MO $665Lowest 66% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 13.2%±23.2Lowest MO: 45.6% 32.8%±33.7Highest MO: 45.6%
Jasper and Polk Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 3.6%Lowest MO: 12.6% 13.2%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76.5%Lowest MO: 68.1% 78%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1966Lowest 12 yrs older than MO 1973Highest 5 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 67 minHighest 184% above MO 22 minLowest 8% below MO
Work from home 17.8%±7.9Highest MO: 13% 2.8%±2.4Lowest MO: 13%
Work in townworking residents 1.3%Lowest 3.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.3 miHighest 20.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.31Lowest 0.87Highest
Top workplaceoutside town St. Joseph (37%)Joplin (23%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in JasperFew work in Polk Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 1.6 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.2Lowest 72.9Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #50 of 226 in MO—
School district UNION STAR R-IIJASPER CO. R-V
High school in town Union Star HighJasper Co. High School
Students per teacherat that high school 8.5Lowest 11.7Highest
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.

Polk Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Polk Township’s Town Square.

Jasper neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jasper’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Polk Township and Jasper

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Polk Township

G
+ Compare
Grant Township302 people
S
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Sherman Township444 people
J
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Jackson Township1,165 people · $124K homes
U
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Union Star559 people · $106K homes

Towns like Polk Township

D
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Diamond914 people · $141K homes
P
+ Compare
Parson Creek Township723 people · $141K homes
J
+ Compare
Jackson Township1,103 people · $151K homes
H
+ Compare
Highlandville950 people · $201K homes
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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