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Ponder vs Jarrell

164 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.2× in Jarrell) and street grid (2.1× in Jarrell).

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Ponder, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,626 people
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Jarrell, TXHomes around $252KTexas · 3,295 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.

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 →
JarrellHomes around $252K
Housing$252K typical home16% below the TX typical home SchoolsBetter than 30%of TX districts Work1,882 jobsbased in Jarrell, a regional job hub All about Jarrell →
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.

Jobs per worker4.2×
Jarrell is more of a job hub
Jarrell 1.63Ponder 0.39
Street grid2.1×
Jarrell has the more walkable street grid
Jarrell 58.2Ponder 27.8
★ What stands out · Report cards

Ponder places higher on 12 of 20 TX lists

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 A−JarrellSafer than 77% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−PonderBetter than 75% of districts in the state CJarrellBetter than 30% of districts in the state
Health
APonderHealthier than 87% of U.S. towns BJarrellHealthier than 57% of U.S. towns
12Ponder
7Jarrell

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Best schoolsSchools · 583 towns #147#509 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 652 towns #69#291 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #571#351 Most activeHealth · 652 towns #34#226 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 632 towns #242#388 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #83#217 HealthiestHealth · 651 towns #81#212 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #93#3

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Ponder’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $440 more a month in Ponder

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 →
Jarrell$1,640/mo
Typical home $252K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.54% · or rent about $1,868/mo · Housing →

The difference: $440 a month, about $5,300 a year, between Ponder and Jarrell.

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
PonderJarrell
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)42nd17th
Outdoors & history
PonderJarrell
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Community
PonderJarrell
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

164 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PonderTXJarrellTX
Ponder ↔ Jarrell164 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.

PonderJarrell
People
Population 2,626Lowest 3,295Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +75.1%Lowest TX: +15.9% +78.2%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 33.2±2.8Lowest 7% below TX 34.9±2.7Highest about the TX average
Jarrell 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% 23.7%±4.9Lowest TX: 25%
Ponder and Jarrell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 10.7%±4.1 TX: 13.4% 10.7%±2.8 TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 33.5%Highest TX: 33.8% 31.6%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±1.7Lowest TX: 6.2% 5.5%±4.3Highest TX: 6.2%
Jarrell 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±$15kLowest 35% above TX $111,333±$12kHighest 42% above TX
Jarrell and Ponder 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 $346,300±$14kHighest 22% above TX
Jarrell 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 $1,868±$225Lowest 33% above TX
Ponder and Jarrell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,742Highest 36% above TX $5,317Lowest 26% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 50.9%±20.6Highest TX: 51.7% 29.2%±25.1Lowest TX: 51.7%
Ponder and Jarrell 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% 2.2%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 87.5%Highest TX: 62.6% 83.7%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2008Lowest 16 yrs newer than TX 2015Highest 23 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minLowest 13% above TX 33 minHighest 25% above TX
Work from home 12.8%±5.7Highest TX: 14.4% 11%±4.4Lowest TX: 14.4%
Ponder and Jarrell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.4%Lowest 6.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.8 miLowest 26.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.39Lowest 1.63Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Fort Worth (12%)Austin (27%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in JarrellFew work in Ponder
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 1.0 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 27.8Lowest 58.2Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #147 of 583 in TX#509 of 583 in TX
School district PONDER ISDJARRELL ISD
High school in town Ponder H SNone in town
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.

Jarrell neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jarrell’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Ponder

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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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