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Sam Rayburn vs Mason

309 miles apart. The biggest differences: work in town (+38.3 pts in Mason) and jobs per worker (3.1× in Mason).

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Sam Rayburn, TXAn outdoors townTexas · 1,366 people

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Mason, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 1,999 people

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.

Sam RayburnAn outdoors town

Outdoors34.3% conserved land5.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Sam Rayburn →

MasonKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 87%of TX districts

HistorySettled in 18613 places on the National Register All about Mason →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Work in town+38.3 pts

More of Mason’s workers stay in town

Mason 40.5%Sam Rayburn 2.2%

Jobs per worker3.1×

Mason is more of a job hub

Mason 1.40Sam Rayburn 0.45

Street grid2.6×

Mason has the more walkable street grid

Mason 61.3Sam Rayburn 23.7

Conserved land+27.6 pts

Sam Rayburn has more conserved land

Sam Rayburn 34.3%Mason 6.7%

Seasonal homes+25.3 pts

Sam Rayburn has more second homes

Sam Rayburn 27.8%Mason 2.5%

Property tax bill+32%

Tax bills are bigger in Sam Rayburn

Sam Rayburn $2,568Mason $1,943

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $470 more a month in Mason

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%

Sam Rayburn$1,550/mo

Typical home $255K (Census) · tax rate 1.01% · or rent about $1,108/mo · Housing →

Mason$2,030/mo

Typical home $345K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $825/mo · Housing →

The difference: $470 a month, about $5,700 a year, between Mason and Sam Rayburn.

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

Grades and rankings, side by side

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.

Schools

–Sam RayburnNot graded AMasonBetter than 87% of districts in the state

Health

C+Sam RayburnHealthier than 40% of U.S. towns B−MasonHealthier than 46% of U.S. towns

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

Sam RayburnMason

Snow a year0″—

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)71st 55th

Outdoors & history

Sam RayburnMason

Trails5 mi —

Conserved land34.3%—

Settled—1861

National Register places—3

Archive photos—6

Community

Sam RayburnMason

Library hours a week—37 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 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

309 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Sam RayburnTX MasonTX

Sam Rayburn ↔ Mason309 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 Texas average

Sam RayburnMason

People

Population 1,366Lowest 1,999Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.8%Highest TX: +15.9% +0.3%Lowest TX: +15.9%

Median age 53.2±13Lowest 49% above TX 55.3±13.8Highest 55% above TX

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

Kids under 18 22%±8.6Highest TX: 25% 16.9%±6Lowest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 35.3%±2.8Lowest TX: 13.4% 36.9%±9.8Highest TX: 13.4%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 32.6%Lowest TX: 33.8% 35.6%Highest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.1%±2.4Lowest TX: 6.2% 3.4%±3.5Highest TX: 6.2%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $83,056±$16kHighest 6% above TX $75,385±$6kLowest 4% below TX

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $255,200±$62kLowest 10% below TX $259,800±$34kHighest 8% below TX

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,108±$299Highest 21% below TX $825±$363Lowest 41% below TX

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,568Highest 39% below TX $1,943Lowest 54% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 17.3%±41.6Lowest TX: 51.7% 22.8%±24.8Highest TX: 51.7%

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

Below poverty line 0.9%Lowest TX: 13.8% 4%Highest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82.2%Highest TX: 62.6% 76.9%Lowest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1989Highest 3 yrs older than TX 1969Lowest 23 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 14% above TX 23 minLowest 15% below TX

Work from home 8.9%±3.9Highest TX: 14.4% 4.2%±6.7Lowest TX: 14.4%

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

Work in townworking residents 2.2%Lowest 40.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 46.8 miHighest 38.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.45Lowest 1.40Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Jasper (23%)Houston (3%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MasonFew work in Sam Rayburn

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 34.3%Highest 6.7%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 5.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 23.7Lowest 61.3Highest

Schools

School district —MASON ISD

High school in town —Mason H S

Students per teacherat that high school — 7.9

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.

Sam Rayburn neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sam Rayburn’s Town Square.

Mason neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mason’s Town Square.

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Towns like Sam Rayburn

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Panorama Village2,525 people · $291K homes

Fairchilds815 people · $221K 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.