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Ponder vs Aurora

15 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+61.2 pts in Ponder) and rent (+82% in Ponder).

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Ponder, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,626 people
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Aurora, TXHomes around $499KTexas · 1,760 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.

PonderKnown for its schools
Schools#147 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$310K typical home4% above the TX typical home HealthHealthier than 87%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Ponder →
AuroraHomes around $499K
Housing$499K typical home67% above the TX typical home All about Aurora →
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.

Growth since 2010+61.2 pts
Ponder has grown faster since 2010
Ponder +75.1%Aurora +13.9%
Rent+82%
Rent runs higher in Ponder
Ponder $2,158Aurora $1,185
Trails2.3×
Aurora has more miles of trail
Aurora 2.3 miPonder 1.0 mi
Street grid+81%
Ponder has the more walkable street grid
Ponder 27.8Aurora 15.4
Average commute6 min
Ponder has the shorter commute
Aurora 36 minPonder 30 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,280 more a month in Aurora

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.

Ponder$2,090/mo
Typical home $310K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.79% · or rent about $2,158/mo · Housing →
Aurora$3,370/mo
Typical home $499K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.81% · or rent about $1,185/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,280 a month, about $15,300 a year, between Aurora and Ponder.

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.

Safety
APonderSafer than 94% of U.S. towns –AuroraNot graded
Schools
A−PonderBetter than 75% of districts in the state –AuroraNot graded
Health
APonderHealthier than 87% of U.S. towns C+AuroraHealthier than 40% 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
PonderAurora
Snow a year0″1″
January low—33°F
July high—95°F
Growing season (days)—237d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)42nd44th
Outdoors & history
PonderAurora
Trails1 mi2 mi
Conserved land0%1.1%
Archive photos—3
Community
PonderAurora
Library hours a week27 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

15 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PonderAuroraPonderAurora
Ponder ↔ Aurora15 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.

PonderAurora
People
Population 2,626Highest 1,760Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +75.1%Highest TX: +15.9% +13.9%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 33.2±2.8Lowest 7% below TX 34.7±2.8Highest about the TX average
Aurora and Ponder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 33.1%±7.6Highest TX: 25% 25.3%±3Lowest TX: 25%
Ponder and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 10.7%±4.1Lowest TX: 13.4% 12.8%±2.8Highest TX: 13.4%
Aurora and Ponder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 33.5%Highest TX: 33.8% 32.1%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±1.7Lowest TX: 6.2% 4.6%±2.1Highest TX: 6.2%
Aurora and Ponder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $106,250±$15kHighest 35% above TX $105,962±$7kLowest 35% above TX
Ponder and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $321,000±$20kLowest 13% above TX $341,800±$32kHighest 20% above TX
Aurora and Ponder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,158±$88Highest 54% above TX $1,185±$151Lowest 16% below TX
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,742Lowest 36% above TX $6,174Highest 46% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 50.9%±20.6Highest TX: 51.7% 30.9%±26.5Lowest TX: 51.7%
Ponder and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 1%Lowest TX: 13.8% 4.9%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 87.5%Highest TX: 62.6% 84.7%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2008Highest 16 yrs newer than TX 2001Lowest 9 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minLowest 13% above TX 36 minHighest 35% above TX
Work from home 12.8%±5.7Lowest TX: 14.4% 15.9%±4.6Highest TX: 14.4%
Aurora and Ponder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.4%Highest 0.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.8 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.39Lowest 0.45Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Fort Worth (12%)Fort Worth (25%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AuroraFew work in Ponder
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.0 miLowest 2.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 27.8Highest 15.4Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #147 of 583 in TX—
School district PONDER ISD—
High school in town Ponder H S—
Students per teacherat that high school 12.4 —
Texas 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.

Ponder neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ponder’s Town Square.

Aurora neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Aurora’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Ponder and Aurora

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas 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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