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Shallowater vs Early

223 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+65% in Shallowater) and street grid (2.4× in Shallowater).

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Shallowater, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,955 people

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Early, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 3,143 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.

ShallowaterKnown for its schools

Schools#22 for schools in TXof 583 towns HealthHealthier than 66%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$308K typical home3% above the TX typical home All about Shallowater →

EarlyKnown for its schools

Schools#76 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$253K typical home15% below the TX typical home Health59% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Early →

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.

Property tax bill+65%

Tax bills are bigger in Shallowater

Shallowater $3,876Early $2,349

Street grid2.4×

Shallowater has the more walkable street grid

Shallowater 83.0Early 34.5

Growth since 2010+7.5 pts

Shallowater has grown faster since 2010

Shallowater +19.3%Early +11.8%

★ What stands out · Report cards

Shallowater places higher on 12 of 21 TX lists

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

B+ShallowaterSafer than 65% of U.S. towns CEarlySafer than 28% of U.S. towns

Schools

A+ShallowaterBetter than 95% of districts in the state A−EarlyBetter than 82% of districts in the state

Health

B+ShallowaterHealthier than 66% of U.S. towns C+EarlyHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns

12Shallowater

6Early

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

Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #180#533 SafestSafety · 470 towns #109#326 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #383#566 Lowest property taxCost of living · 647 towns #397#226 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #217#381 Highest incomeIncome · 653 towns #195#336 Most conserved landOutdoors · 572 towns #534#432 Most remote workersWork · 624 towns #407#301

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $480 more a month in Shallowater

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%

Shallowater$2,090/mo

Typical home $308K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.85% · or rent about $1,202/mo · Housing →

Early$1,600/mo

Typical home $253K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.31% · or rent about $1,227/mo · Housing →

The difference: $480 a month, about $5,800 a year, between Shallowater and Early.

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

ShallowaterEarly

Snow a year7″1″

January low—32°F

July high—97°F

Growing season (days)—233d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th 13th

Outdoors & history

ShallowaterEarly

Conserved land—0.9%

Settled1909 —

Community

ShallowaterEarly

Library hours a week20 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

223 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ShallowaterTX EarlyTX

Shallowater ↔ Early223 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

ShallowaterEarly

People

Population 2,955Lowest 3,143Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +19.3%Highest TX: +15.9% +11.8%Lowest TX: +15.9%

Median age 37.8±5.6Highest 6% above TX 36.5±4.5Lowest about the TX average

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

Kids under 18 31.1%±5Highest TX: 25% 27.2%±5.9Lowest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 13.1%±3.4Lowest TX: 13.4% 16.1%±4.2Highest TX: 13.4%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24.3%Lowest TX: 33.8% 28.3%Highest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.2%±3.6Highest TX: 6.2% 3.5%±2.2Lowest TX: 6.2%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $89,107±$18kHighest 14% above TX $67,346±$17kLowest 14% below TX

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $210,000±$73kHighest 26% below TX $179,800±$35kLowest 37% below TX

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,202±$349Lowest 14% below TX $1,227±$177Highest 13% below TX

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,876Highest 8% below TX $2,349Lowest 44% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 39.4%±13Highest TX: 51.7% 38.5%±22.9Lowest TX: 51.7%

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

Below poverty line 3.7%Lowest TX: 13.8% 10.6%Highest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 76.9%Highest TX: 62.6% 71.4%Lowest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 7 yrs older than TX 1982Lowest 10 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minHighest 27% below TX 18 minLowest 33% below TX

Work from home 6%±3.6Lowest TX: 14.4% 9.3%±5.1Highest TX: 14.4%

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

Work in townworking residents 9.5%Highest 7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miHighest 6.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.56Lowest 0.84Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Lubbock (56%)Brownwood (40%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in EarlyFew work in Shallowater

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Lowest 0.9%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 83.0Highest 34.5Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #22 of 583 in TX #76 of 583 in TX

School district SHALLOWATER ISDPREMIER HIGH SCHOOLS · EARLY ISD

High school in town Shallowater H SEarly H S

Students per teacherat that high school 10.4Lowest 11.4Highest

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.

Shallowater neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Shallowater’s Town Square.

Early neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Early’s Town Square.

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Towns like Shallowater

Abernathy3,278 people · $176K homes

Van2,806 people · $170K homes

Jourdanton4,407 people · $171K homes

Bertram2,037 people · $224K 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.