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%

Sheldon$1,120/mo

Typical home $183K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.08% · or rent about $617/mo · Housing →

Marston$410/mo

Typical home $70K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $682/mo · Housing →

The difference: $710 a month, about $8,600 a year, between Sheldon and Marston.

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

SheldonMarston

Snow a year7″7″

January low22°F 28°F

July high88°F 88°F

Growing season (days)199d 227d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th 93rd

Community

SheldonMarston

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

270 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SheldonMO MarstonMO

Sheldon ↔ Marston270 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 Missouri average

SheldonMarston

People

Population 443Highest 400Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -19.9%Highest MO: +2.8% -21.1%Lowest MO: +2.8%

Median age 41.1±5.4Highest 5% above MO 38.2±18.4Lowest about the MO average

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

Kids under 18 28.9%±4.4Highest MO: 22.3% 25.8%±7.3Lowest MO: 22.3%

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

Age 65+ 16.5%±5.7Highest MO: 17.9% 9.5%±9.2Lowest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11%Highest MO: 32.4% 2.9%Lowest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.2%±4.6Highest MO: 5.7% 0%±4.2Lowest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $41,848±$9kHighest 41% below MO $35,000±$11kLowest 50% below MO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $67,500±$23kHighest 71% below MO $64,300±$18kLowest 72% below MO

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $617±$56Lowest 40% below MO $682±$31Highest 34% below MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $730Highest 63% below MO $465Lowest 76% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 27.5%±21.1Lowest MO: 45.6% 46.5%±58.4Highest MO: 45.6%

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

Below poverty line 37%Highest MO: 12.6% 32.5%Lowest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 43.2%Highest MO: 68.1% 41.5%Lowest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1965Lowest 13 yrs older than MO 1979Highest 1 yr newer than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 13% below MO 47 minHighest 101% above MO

Work from home 4.4%±4.8Highest MO: 13% 0%±7.9Lowest MO: 13%

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

Work in townworking residents 0.5%Lowest 3.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.3 mi 25.3 mi

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.39Lowest 4.79Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Nevada (27%)New Madrid (13%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MarstonFew work in Sheldon

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 89.8Highest 60.2Lowest

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.

Sheldon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sheldon’s Town Square.

Marston neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marston’s Town Square.

Add a town

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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.

Sheldon vs Marston

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $710 more a month in Sheldon

What daily life feels like in each

270 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Sheldon and Marston

Towns like Sheldon

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