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Salem vs Lamar

151 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.2× in Salem) and trails (2.4× in Salem).

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Salem, MOKnown for its schoolsMissouri · 4,677 people
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Lamar, MOHomes around $191KMissouri · 4,284 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.

SalemKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 51%of MO districts Outdoors#24 most walkable in MO2.6 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves Housing$192K typical home28% below the MO typical home All about Salem →
LamarHomes around $191K
Housing$191K typical home29% below the MO typical home Outdoors#56 most conserved land in MO1.1 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves Health96% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Lamar →
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.

Street grid2.2×
Salem has the more walkable street grid
Salem 123Lamar 55.6
Trails2.4×
Salem has more miles of trail
Salem 2.6 miLamar 1.1 mi
Average commute7 min
Salem has the shorter commute
Lamar 22 minSalem 15 min
Property tax bill+20%
Tax bills are bigger in Lamar
Lamar $914Salem $760
★ What stands out · 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.

Salem$1,110/mo
Typical home $192K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $639/mo · Housing →
Lamar$1,120/mo
Typical home $191K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $832/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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

Salem places higher on 16 of 21 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
CSalemSafer than 31% of U.S. towns CLamarSafer than 30% of U.S. towns
Schools
B−SalemBetter than 51% of districts in the state –LamarNot graded
Health
DSalemHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns D−LamarHealthier than 4% of U.S. towns
16Salem
4Lamar

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most trailsOutdoors · 151 towns #42#125 Most walkableOutdoors · 261 towns #24#163 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #43#164 Shortest commuteGetting around · 261 towns #19#134 Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #6#96 Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #140#56 Cheapest rentCost of living · 256 towns #11#90 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #157#98

Left end = #1 in Missouri. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Salem’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
SalemLamar
Snow a year1″7″
January low22°F22°F
July high88°F88°F
Growing season (days)182d199d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)49th61st
Outdoors & history
SalemLamar
Trails3 mi1 mi
Conserved land1.8%4.4%
Settled—1852
National Register places11
Archive photos—4
Famous people born here—5
Community
SalemLamar
Library hours a week40 hrs39 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

151 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SalemMOLamarMO
Salem ↔ Lamar151 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.

SalemLamar
People
Population 4,677Highest 4,284Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -6.9%Lowest MO: +2.8% -5.9%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 42.3±2.9Highest 8% above MO 39.3±3.4Lowest about the MO average
Salem and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.8%±4Lowest MO: 22.3% 24.5%±5.6Highest MO: 22.3%
Lamar and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.9%±4.7Lowest MO: 17.9% 23%±4.8Highest MO: 17.9%
Lamar and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.1%Lowest MO: 32.4% 18.7%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.9%±3Highest MO: 5.7% 2.7%±2.5Lowest MO: 5.7%
Salem and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $43,923±$8kHighest 38% below MO $36,705±$10kLowest 48% below MO
Salem and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $115,000±$17kLowest 50% below MO $117,200±$13kHighest 49% below MO
Lamar and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $639±$163Lowest 38% below MO $832±$58Highest 19% below MO
Lamar and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $760Lowest 61% below MO $914Highest 53% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 42.4%±12.7Lowest MO: 45.6% 60.7%±22.5Highest MO: 45.6%
Lamar and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.1%Lowest MO: 12.6% 32.6%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 50%Lowest MO: 68.1% 51.6%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1969Lowest 9 yrs older than MO 1973Highest 5 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 15 minLowest 35% below MO 22 minHighest 7% below MO
Work from home 5.9%±3.2Highest MO: 13% 2.1%±2.8Lowest MO: 13%
Salem and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 28.1%Lowest 30.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.8 miHighest 24.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.32Highest 1.09Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Rolla (9%)Joplin (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in LamarFew work in Salem
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.8%Lowest 4.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 2.6 miHighest 1.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 123Highest 55.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #188 of 226 in MO—
School district SALEM R-80—
High school in town Salem SR. High—
Students per teacherat that high school 15.3 —
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.

Salem neighborsTown Square →

1 neighbor in Salem can answer.

Lamar neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lamar’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Salem

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El Dorado Springs3,586 people · $104K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Missouri 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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