Skip to content

TownTapestry

Find a town

Guest, Sign inJoin

Compare towns

Sam Rayburn vs Tool

151 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (10× in Sam Rayburn) and conserved land (+34.3 pts in Sam Rayburn).

S ×

Sam Rayburn, TXAn outdoors townTexas · 1,366 people

×

Tool, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 2,367 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 →

ToolOne of the healthiest towns

Health78% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SafetySafer than 75%of U.S. towns we grade SchoolsBetter than 75%of TX districts All about Tool →

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.

Sam Rayburn has more miles of trail

Sam Rayburn 5.0 miTool 0.5 mi

Conserved land+34.3 pts

Sam Rayburn has more conserved land

Sam Rayburn 34.3%Tool 0%

Average commute17 min

Sam Rayburn has the shorter commute

Tool 47 minSam Rayburn 31 min

Street grid2.5×

Tool has the more walkable street grid

Tool 59.0Sam Rayburn 23.7

Growth since 2010+10.7 pts

Sam Rayburn has grown faster since 2010

Sam Rayburn +7.8%Tool -2.9%

Age 65++12.4 pts

Sam Rayburn has more people 65 and up

Sam Rayburn 35.3%Tool 22.9%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $270 more a month in Sam Rayburn

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 →

Tool$1,280/mo

Typical home $213K (Census) · tax rate 0.92% · or rent about $1,386/mo · Housing →

The difference: $270 a month, about $3,300 a year, between Sam Rayburn and Tool.

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.

Safety

–Sam RayburnNot graded A−ToolSafer than 75% of U.S. towns

Schools

–Sam RayburnNot graded A−ToolBetter than 75% of districts in the state

Health

C+Sam RayburnHealthier than 40% of U.S. towns C−ToolHealthier than 22% 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 RayburnTool

Snow a year0″0″

January low—35°F

July high—95°F

Growing season (days)—246d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)71st 37th

Outdoors & history

Sam RayburnTool

Trails5 mi —

Conserved land34.3%—

Community

Sam RayburnTool

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

151 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Sam RayburnTX ToolTX

Sam Rayburn ↔ Tool151 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 RayburnTool

People

Population 1,366Lowest 2,367Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.8%Highest TX: +15.9% -2.9%Lowest TX: +15.9%

Median age 53.2±13Highest 49% above TX 49.6±5.9Lowest 39% above TX

Sam Rayburn and Tool 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% 16.7%±4.2Lowest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 35.3%±2.8Highest TX: 13.4% 22.9%±3Lowest TX: 13.4%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 32.6%Highest TX: 33.8% 26.8%Lowest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.1%±2.4Highest TX: 6.2% 1.4%±1.2Lowest TX: 6.2%

Sam Rayburn and Tool 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 $71,333±$17kLowest 9% below TX

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $255,200±$62kHighest 10% below TX $213,300±$57kLowest 25% below TX

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,108±$299Lowest 21% below TX $1,386±$260Highest about the TX average

Tool and Sam Rayburn 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 $1,952Lowest 54% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 17.3%±41.6Lowest TX: 51.7% 62.9%±66.6Highest TX: 51.7%

Tool 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% 17.3%Highest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82.2%Highest TX: 62.6% 81.1%Lowest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1989Highest 3 yrs older than TX 1983Lowest 9 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 31 minLowest 14% above TX 47 minHighest 77% above TX

Work from home 8.9%±3.9Lowest TX: 14.4% 11.3%±11Highest TX: 14.4%

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

Work in townworking residents 2.2%Lowest 3.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 46.8 miHighest 40.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.45Highest 0.25Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Jasper (23%)Mabank (7%)

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

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 34.3%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 5.0 miHighest 0.5 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 23.7Lowest 59.0Highest

Schools

School district —MALAKOFF ISD

High school in town —None in town

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.

Tool neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Tool’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Sam Rayburn and Tool

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

Towns like Sam Rayburn

Runaway Bay1,717 people · $308K homes

Mason1,999 people · $260K homes

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.