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Raytown vs Belton

13 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.5× in Belton) and typical home built (25 yrs in Raytown).

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Raytown, MOAn outdoors townMissouri · 29,445 people
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Belton, MOHomes around $275KMissouri · 25,008 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.

RaytownAn outdoors town
Outdoors#47 most walkable in MO0.8 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 5%of U.S. towns we grade Health77% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Raytown →
BeltonHomes around $275K
Housing$275K typical home3% above the MO typical home Outdoors#74 most conserved land in MO3.6 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves Health64% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Belton →
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.

Trails4.5×
Belton has more miles of trail
Belton 3.6 miRaytown 0.8 mi
Typical home built25 yrs
Raytown’s homes are older
Belton 1987Raytown 1962
Street grid+45%
Raytown has the more walkable street grid
Raytown 95.5Belton 65.8
Property tax bill+17%
Tax bills are bigger in Raytown
Raytown $2,239Belton $1,918
Median age4.1 yrs
Raytown skews older
Raytown 40.9Belton 36.8
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $340 more a month in Belton

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.

Raytown$1,310/mo
Typical home $210K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.22% · or rent about $1,218/mo · Housing →
Belton$1,660/mo
Typical home $275K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.94% · or rent about $1,290/mo · Housing →

The difference: $340 a month, about $4,100 a year, between Belton and Raytown.

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

Belton places higher on 12 of 22 MO lists

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.

Safety
DRaytownSafer than 5% of U.S. towns CBeltonSafer than 27% of U.S. towns
Schools
DRaytownBetter than 11% of districts in the state C+BeltonBetter than 35% of districts in the state
Health
C−RaytownHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns C+BeltonHealthier than 36% of U.S. towns
7Raytown
12Belton

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #177#23 Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #162#74 Most walkableOutdoors · 261 towns #47#124 SafestSafety · 156 towns #139#93 Most activeHealth · 261 towns #152#85 Lowest obesityHealth · 261 towns #119#179 Best schoolsSchools · 226 towns #213#162 HealthiestHealth · 261 towns #147#106

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

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
RaytownBelton
Snow a year9″9″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)23rd32nd
Outdoors & history
RaytownBelton
Trails1 mi4 mi
Conserved land1.4%3.3%
Settled18491871
National Register places1—
Archive photos620
Famous people born here83
Community
RaytownBelton
Library hours a week69 hrs61 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

13 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

RaytownBeltonRaytownBelton
Raytown ↔ Belton13 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.

RaytownBelton
People
Population 29,445Highest 25,008Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.6%Lowest MO: +2.8% +3.6%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 40.9±2Highest 5% above MO 36.8±1.9Lowest 6% below MO
Kids under 18 20.8%±2.6Lowest MO: 22.3% 24.1%±2.2Highest MO: 22.3%
Belton and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.9%±2.1Highest MO: 17.9% 14.5%±1.7Lowest MO: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22%Lowest MO: 32.4% 25.6%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±1.1Highest MO: 5.7% 3.7%±1Lowest MO: 5.7%
Raytown and Belton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $68,840±$6kLowest about the MO average $69,226±$5kHighest about the MO average
Belton and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $182,900±$7kLowest 21% below MO $203,200±$11kHighest 12% below MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,218±$93Lowest 18% above MO $1,290±$97Highest 25% above MO
Belton and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,239Highest 15% above MO $1,918Lowest about the MO average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46.7%±9.2Lowest MO: 45.6% 49.2%±9.3Highest MO: 45.6%
Belton and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.5%Highest MO: 12.6% 9.7%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 65.1%Highest MO: 68.1% 59%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 16 yrs older than MO 1987Highest 9 yrs newer than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest about the MO average 25 minHighest 6% above MO
Work from home 11.5%±2.7Lowest MO: 13% 11.8%±2.5Highest MO: 13%
Belton and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.8%Lowest 10.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.3 miLowest 14.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.54Lowest 0.73Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (38%)Kansas City (26%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BeltonFew work in Raytown
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.4%Lowest 3.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miLowest 3.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Lowest 7Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 95.5Highest 65.8Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #213 of 226 in MO#162 of 226 in MO
School district RAYTOWN C-2BELTON 124
High school in town Raytown SR. HighBelton High
Students per teacherat that high school 16.0Highest 13.7Lowest
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.

Raytown neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 4d

Raytown School Spirit

1 neighbor in Raytown can answer.

Belton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Belton’s Town Square.

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Bordering Raytown

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Kansas City510,612 people · $243K homes

Towns like Raytown

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Hazelwood25,114 people · $167K homes
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Florissant51,773 people · $149K homes
G
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Gladstone27,207 people · $232K homes
L
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Liberty Township14,846 people · $157K homes

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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