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 CGladstoneSafer than 27% of U.S. towns

Schools

DRaytownBetter than 11% of districts in the state B+GladstoneBetter than 73% of districts in the state

Health

C−RaytownHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns C+GladstoneHealthier than 43% of U.S. towns

2Raytown

19Gladstone

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

Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #184#53 Best schoolsSchools · 226 towns #213#102 Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #162#53 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #177#118 SafestSafety · 156 towns #139#95 Most activeHealth · 261 towns #152#85 Fastest growingGrowth · 260 towns #131#75 Most affordableCost of living · 260 towns #134#190

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $350 more a month in Gladstone

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.

Down paymentRate%

Raytown$1,310/mo

Typical home $210K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.22% · or rent about $1,218/mo · Housing →

Gladstone$1,660/mo

Typical home $271K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.07% · or rent about $1,088/mo · Housing →

The difference: $350 a month, about $4,200 a year, between Gladstone 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.

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

RaytownGladstone

Snow a year9″18″

January low—20°F

July high—88°F

Growing season (days)—193d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)23rd 35th

Outdoors & history

RaytownGladstone

Trails1 mi 2 mi

Conserved land1.4%4.5%

Settled1849 —

National Register places1 1

Archive photos6 3

Famous people born here8 2

Community

RaytownGladstone

Library hours a week69 hrs 69 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined1 1

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

16 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

RaytownGladstone

Raytown ↔ Gladstone16 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.

Only big differences vs Missouri average

RaytownGladstone

People

Population 29,445Highest 27,207Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.6%Lowest MO: +2.8% +6.5%Highest MO: +2.8%

Median age 40.9±2Lowest 5% above MO 41.9±1.8Highest 7% above MO

Gladstone and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 20.8%±2.6Highest MO: 22.3% 20.5%±2Lowest MO: 22.3%

Raytown and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 18.9%±2.1Lowest MO: 17.9% 20.5%±1.9Highest MO: 17.9%

Gladstone and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22%Lowest MO: 32.4% 31.7%Highest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±1.1Highest MO: 5.7% 2.9%±0.9Lowest MO: 5.7%

Raytown and Gladstone 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 $79,271±$6kHighest 12% above MO

Gladstone 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 $231,500±$10kHighest about the MO average

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,218±$93Highest 18% above MO $1,088±$69Lowest 5% above MO

Raytown and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,239Lowest 15% above MO $2,477Highest 27% above MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46.7%±9.2Highest MO: 45.6% 43.1%±7Lowest MO: 45.6%

Raytown and Gladstone 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% 11%Lowest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 65.1%Lowest MO: 68.1% 68.4%Highest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 16 yrs older than MO 1973Highest 5 yrs older than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 24 minHighest about the MO average 23 minLowest about the MO average

Work from home 11.5%±2.7Lowest MO: 13% 14.7%±2.8Highest MO: 13%

Gladstone 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%Highest 4.6%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.3 miHighest 9.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.54Lowest 0.58Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (38%)Kansas City (42%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GladstoneFew work in Raytown

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.4%Lowest 4.5%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miLowest 2.1 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Lowest 13Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 95.5Lowest 109Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #213 of 226 in MO #102 of 226 in MO

School district RAYTOWN C-2DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE · NORTH KANSAS CITY 74

High school in town Raytown SR. HighSTAR School

Students per teacherat that high school 16.0 —

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.

Gladstone neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 6d

Gladstone Commute Time

1 neighbor in Gladstone can answer.

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Bordering Raytown

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Kansas City510,612 people · $243K homes

Towns like Raytown

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Belton25,008 people · $203K homes

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Hazelwood25,114 people · $167K homes

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Florissant51,773 people · $149K homes

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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.

Raytown vs Gladstone

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Gladstone places higher on 19 of 22 MO lists

A typical home costs $350 more a month in Gladstone

What daily life feels like in each

16 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Raytown School Spirit

Gladstone Commute Time

Set another town beside Raytown and Gladstone

Bordering Raytown

Towns like Raytown

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