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Sherman Township vs Polk Township

Next-door neighbors in DeKalb County. The biggest differences: average commute (42 min in Sherman Township) and trails (5.3× in Polk Township).

S ×
Sherman Township, MOA small town of 444DeKalb County · 444 people
P ×
Polk Township, MOKnown for its schoolsDeKalb County · 909 people
Swap order
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.

Sherman TownshipA small town of 444
Quiet strengthsSherman Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Sherman Township →
Polk TownshipKnown for its schools
Schools#50 for schools in MOof 226 towns HealthHealthier than 50%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Polk Township →
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.

Average commute42 min
Sherman Township has the shorter commute
Polk Township 67 minSherman Township 25 min
Trails5.3×
Polk Township has more miles of trail
Polk Township 1.6 miSherman Township 0.3 mi
Jobs per worker2.6×
Polk Township is more of a job hub
Polk Township 0.31Sherman Township 0.12
Property tax bill+46%
Tax bills are bigger in Polk Township
Polk Township $1,091Sherman Township $745
Growth since 2010+6.7 pts
Polk Township has grown faster since 2010
Polk Township -4%Sherman Township -10.7%
Homeowners+10.4 pts renters
Polk Township has more renters
Sherman Township 86.9%Polk Township 76.5%
★ What stands out · Where they are

Sherman Township and Polk Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Sherman TownshipPolk TownshipSherman TownshipPolk Township
Sherman Township ↔ Polk Township6.8 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Missouri ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
–Sherman TownshipNot graded B+Polk TownshipBetter than 73% of districts in the state
Health
–Sherman TownshipNot graded B−Polk TownshipHealthier than 50% 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
Sherman TownshipPolk Township
Snow a year21″18″
January low15°F—
July high87°F—
Growing season (days)180d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)53rd53rd
Outdoors & history
Sherman TownshipPolk Township
Trails—2 mi
Conserved land—0%
Settled18701845
National Register places1—
Community
Sherman TownshipPolk Township
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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.

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.

Sherman TownshipPolk Township
People
Population 444Lowest 909Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -10.7%Lowest MO: +2.8% -4%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 34.5±19.4Lowest 12% below MO 38.1±9.8Highest about the MO average
Polk Township and Sherman Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 31.1%±11.7Highest MO: 22.3% 23%±3.8Lowest MO: 22.3%
Sherman Township and Polk Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.5%±10.5Lowest MO: 17.9% 24.4%±4.8Highest MO: 17.9%
Polk Township and Sherman Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.1%Lowest MO: 32.4% 20.6%Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.3%±5.5Highest MO: 5.7% 4.7%±4.3Lowest MO: 5.7%
Sherman Township and Polk Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $69,688±$12kHighest about the MO average $65,455±$10kLowest 7% below MO
Sherman Township and Polk Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied — $123,500±$29k 46% below MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $896±$146 13% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $745Lowest 62% below MO $1,091Highest 44% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100Lowest MO: 45.6% 13.2%±23.2Highest MO: 45.6%
Polk Township and Sherman Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 0%Lowest MO: 12.6% 3.6%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 86.9%Highest MO: 68.1% 76.5%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1967Highest 11 yrs older than MO 1966Lowest 12 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 4% above MO 67 minHighest 184% above MO
Work from home 8.9%±6.4Lowest MO: 13% 17.8%±7.9Highest MO: 13%
Polk Township and Sherman Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 1.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miLowest 24.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.12Lowest 0.31Highest
Top workplaceoutside town St. Joseph (33%)St. Joseph (37%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Polk TownshipFew work in Sherman Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miLowest 1.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.6Lowest 2.2Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#50 of 226 in MO
School district —UNION STAR R-II
High school in town —Union Star High
Students per teacherat that high school — 8.5
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.

Sherman Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sherman Township’s Town Square.

Polk Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Polk Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Sherman Township and Polk Township

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Bordering Sherman Township

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Camden Township1,861 people · $164K homes
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Washington Township1,853 people · $163K homes

Towns like Sherman Township

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Smithton535 people · $116K homes
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Crystal Lakes436 people · $152K homes
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Bogard Township622 people · $186K homes
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Corder442 people · $83K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Missouri towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

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