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

BRepublicSafer than 63% of U.S. towns CBeltonSafer than 27% of U.S. towns

Schools

ARepublicBetter than 92% of districts in the state C+BeltonBetter than 35% of districts in the state

Health

C+RepublicHealthier than 44% of U.S. towns C+BeltonHealthier than 36% of U.S. towns

13Republic

9Belton

Lists won, of 23 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Best schoolsSchools · 226 towns #22#162 Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #190#74 Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #53#157 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #223#106 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 85 towns #28#66 SafestSafety · 156 towns #33#93 Fastest growingGrowth · 260 towns #12#102 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 261 towns #61#131

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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%

Republic$1,580/mo

Typical home $270K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $1,123/mo · Housing →

Belton$1,660/mo

Typical home $275K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.94% · or rent about $1,290/mo · Housing →

The difference: $70 a month, about $900 a year, between Belton and Republic.

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

RepublicBelton

Snow a year14″9″

January low24°F —

July high90°F —

Growing season (days)199d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)37th 32nd

Outdoors & history

RepublicBelton

Trails2 mi 4 mi

Conserved land0.9%3.3%

Settled1871 1871

National Register places1 —

Archive photos3 20

Famous people born here3 3

Community

RepublicBelton

Library hours a week57 hrs 61 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined1 0

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

129 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

RepublicMO BeltonMO

Republic ↔ Belton129 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

RepublicBelton

People

Population 19,829Lowest 25,008Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +27.1%Highest MO: +2.8% +3.6%Lowest MO: +2.8%

Median age 33.2±2.6Lowest 15% below MO 36.8±1.9Highest 6% below MO

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

Kids under 18 27%±3.5Highest MO: 22.3% 24.1%±2.2Lowest MO: 22.3%

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

Age 65+ 15.8%±2.7Highest MO: 17.9% 14.5%±1.7Lowest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26.3%Highest MO: 32.4% 25.6%Lowest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4%±1.4Highest MO: 5.7% 3.7%±1Lowest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $65,729±$4kLowest 7% below MO $69,226±$5kHighest about the MO average

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $211,500±$12kHighest 8% below MO $203,200±$11kLowest 12% below MO

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,123±$75Lowest 9% above MO $1,290±$97Highest 25% above MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,578Lowest 19% below MO $1,918Highest about the MO average

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 38.8%±8.8Lowest MO: 45.6% 49.2%±9.3Highest MO: 45.6%

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

Below poverty line 17.7%Highest MO: 12.6% 9.7%Lowest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 60.1%Highest MO: 68.1% 59%Lowest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 2001Highest 23 yrs newer than MO 1987Lowest 9 yrs newer than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 6% above MO 25 minLowest 6% above MO

Work from home 9.6%±2.8Lowest MO: 13% 11.8%±2.5Highest MO: 13%

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

Work in townworking residents 11.4%Highest 10.3%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 14.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.64Lowest 0.73Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Springfield (57%)Kansas City (26%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BeltonFew work in Republic

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.9%Lowest 3.3%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 1.8 miLowest 3.6 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Lowest 7Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 59.0Lowest 65.8Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #22 of 226 in MO #162 of 226 in MO

School district REPUBLIC R-IIIBELTON 124

High school in town Republic HighBelton High

Students per teacherat that high school 16.9Highest 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.

Republic neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 3d

Missing Local Spots

1 neighbor in Republic can answer.

Belton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Belton’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Republic and Belton

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Republic

+ Compare

Springfield169,954 people · $178K homes

Towns like Republic

+ Compare

Ozark22,417 people · $255K homes

+ Compare

Union12,781 people · $205K homes

+ Compare

Webb City13,221 people · $169K homes

+ Compare

Neosho13,224 people · $163K 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.

Republic vs Belton

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Republic places higher on 13 of 23 MO lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

129 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Missing Local Spots

Set another town beside Republic and Belton

Bordering Republic

Towns like Republic

Post to Republic

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