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Shallowater vs Van

376 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+18.1 pts in Shallowater) and work from home (+14.1 pts in Van).

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Shallowater, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,955 people

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Van, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,806 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 →

VanKnown for its schools

Schools#182 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$244K typical home19% below the TX typical home Health59% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Van →

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.

Growth since 2010+18.1 pts

Shallowater has grown faster since 2010

Shallowater +19.3%Van +1.2%

Work from home+14.1 pts

More people work from home in Van

Van 20.1%Shallowater 6%

Property tax bill+48%

Tax bills are bigger in Shallowater

Shallowater $3,876Van $2,623

Average commute11 min

Shallowater has the shorter commute

Van 31 minShallowater 20 min

Jobs per worker2.1×

Van is more of a job hub

Van 1.19Shallowater 0.56

Street grid+56%

Shallowater has the more walkable street grid

Shallowater 83.0Van 53.3

★ What stands out · Report cards

Shallowater places higher on 12 of 20 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 B+VanSafer than 70% of U.S. towns

Schools

A+ShallowaterBetter than 95% of districts in the state BVanBetter than 55% of districts in the state

Health

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

12Shallowater

8Van

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Shortest commuteGetting around · 653 towns #123#511 Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #41#339 Fastest growingGrowth · 640 towns #188#448 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #383#618 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #180#392 Best schoolsSchools · 583 towns #22#182 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #217#381 Lowest property taxCost of living · 647 towns #397#264

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 $490 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 →

Van$1,590/mo

Typical home $244K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.54% · or rent about $1,220/mo · Housing →

The difference: $490 a month, about $5,900 a year, between Shallowater and Van.

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

ShallowaterVan

Snow a year7″1″

January low—33°F

July high—93°F

Growing season (days)—235d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th 14th

Outdoors & history

ShallowaterVan

Settled1909 —

Community

ShallowaterVan

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

376 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ShallowaterTX VanTX

Shallowater ↔ Van376 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

ShallowaterVan

People

Population 2,955Highest 2,806Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +19.3%Highest TX: +15.9% +1.2%Lowest TX: +15.9%

Median age 37.8±5.6Highest 6% above TX 36.3±6.2Lowest about the TX average

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

Kids under 18 31.1%±5Lowest TX: 25% 32.7%±7.4Highest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 13.1%±3.4Highest TX: 13.4% 12.9%±4.1Lowest TX: 13.4%

Shallowater and Van 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% 28.1%Highest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.2%±3.6Highest TX: 6.2% 3.7%±1.8Lowest TX: 6.2%

Shallowater and Van 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 $69,155±$10kLowest 12% below TX

Shallowater and Van 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 $169,900±$7kLowest 40% below TX

Shallowater and Van 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 $1,220±$124Highest 13% below TX

Van 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 $2,623Lowest 38% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 39.4%±13Lowest TX: 51.7% 39.7%±17.5Highest TX: 51.7%

Van and Shallowater 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% 8.7%Highest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 76.9%Lowest TX: 62.6% 78.4%Highest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 7 yrs older than TX 1981Lowest 11 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 27% below TX 31 minHighest 16% above TX

Work from home 6%±3.6Lowest TX: 14.4% 20.1%±10.5Highest TX: 14.4%

Work in townworking residents 9.5%Lowest 15.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 25.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.56Lowest 1.19Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Lubbock (56%)Tyler (13%)

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

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Lowest 0.8%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 83.0Highest 53.3Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #22 of 583 in TX #182 of 583 in TX

School district SHALLOWATER ISDVAN ISD

High school in town Shallowater H SVan H S

Students per teacherat that high school 10.4Lowest 14.9Highest

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.

Van neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Van’s Town Square.

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Towns like Shallowater

Abernathy3,278 people · $176K homes

Jourdanton4,407 people · $171K homes

Early3,143 people · $180K 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.