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Polk Township vs Sherman Township

Next-door neighbors in DeKalb County. The biggest differences: average commute (42 min in Sherman Township) and trails (5.3× in Polk Township).

P ×
Polk Township, MOKnown for its schoolsDeKalb County · 909 people
S ×
Sherman Township, MOA small town of 444DeKalb County · 444 people
Swap order
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 →
Sherman TownshipA small town of 444
Quiet strengthsSherman Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Sherman Township →
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.

Average commute42 min
Sherman Township has the shorter commute
Polk Township 67 minSherman Township 25 min
Trails5.3×
Polk Township has more miles of trail
Polk Township 1.6 miSherman Township 0.3 mi
Jobs per worker2.6×
Polk Township is more of a job hub
Polk Township 0.31Sherman Township 0.12
Property tax bill+46%
Tax bills are bigger in Polk Township
Polk Township $1,091Sherman Township $745
Growth since 2010+6.7 pts
Polk Township has grown faster since 2010
Polk Township -4%Sherman Township -10.7%
Homeowners+10.4 pts renters
Polk Township has more renters
Sherman Township 86.9%Polk Township 76.5%
★ What stands out · Where they are

Polk Township and Sherman Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Polk TownshipSherman TownshipPolk TownshipSherman Township
Polk Township ↔ Sherman Township6.8 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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 –Sherman TownshipNot graded
Health
B−Polk TownshipHealthier than 50% of U.S. towns –Sherman TownshipNot graded
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 TownshipSherman Township
Snow a year18″21″
January low—15°F
July high—87°F
Growing season (days)—180d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)53rd53rd
Outdoors & history
Polk TownshipSherman Township
Trails2 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled18451870
National Register places—1
Community
Polk TownshipSherman Township
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.

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 TownshipSherman Township
People
Population 909Highest 444Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4%Highest MO: +2.8% -10.7%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 38.1±9.8Highest about the MO average 34.5±19.4Lowest 12% below MO
Polk Township and Sherman Township 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% 31.1%±11.7Highest MO: 22.3%
Sherman Township 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% 22.5%±10.5Lowest MO: 17.9%
Polk Township and Sherman Township 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% 13.1%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.7%±4.3Lowest MO: 5.7% 6.3%±5.5Highest MO: 5.7%
Sherman Township and Polk Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,455±$10kLowest 7% below MO $69,688±$12kHighest about the MO average
Sherman Township and Polk Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $123,500±$29k 46% below MO —
Rentmedian gross, monthly $896±$146 13% below MO —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,091Highest 44% below MO $745Lowest 62% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 13.2%±23.2Highest MO: 45.6% 0%±100Lowest MO: 45.6%
Polk Township and Sherman Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 3.6%Highest MO: 12.6% 0%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76.5%Lowest MO: 68.1% 86.9%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1966Lowest 12 yrs older than MO 1967Highest 11 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 67 minHighest 184% above MO 25 minLowest 4% above MO
Work from home 17.8%±7.9Highest MO: 13% 8.9%±6.4Lowest MO: 13%
Polk Township and Sherman Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.3%Highest 0%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.3 miHighest 22.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.31Highest 0.12Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town St. Joseph (37%)St. Joseph (33%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Sherman TownshipFew work in Polk Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 1.6 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.2Highest 1.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #50 of 226 in MO—
School district UNION STAR R-II—
High school in town Union Star High—
Students per teacherat that high school 8.5 —
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.

Sherman Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sherman Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Polk Township and Sherman Township

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Bordering Polk Township

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+ Compare
Grant Township302 people
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Jackson Township1,165 people · $124K homes
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Union Star559 people · $106K homes

Towns like Polk Township

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Diamond914 people · $141K homes
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Parson Creek Township723 people · $141K homes
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Jackson Township1,103 people · $151K homes
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Jasper808 people · $126K 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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