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Sonora vs Eagle Lake

267 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+59% in Eagle Lake) and growth since 2010 (+11.9 pts in Eagle Lake).

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Sonora, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,691 people
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Eagle Lake, TXAn outdoors townTexas · 3,485 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.

SonoraKnown for its schools
Schools#142 for schools in TXof 583 towns Outdoors#66 most conserved land in TX0.0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Health79% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Sonora →
Eagle LakeAn outdoors town
Outdoors#36 most trails in TX4.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Health59% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$171K typical home43% below the TX typical home All about Eagle Lake →
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.

Rent+59%
Rent runs higher in Eagle Lake
Eagle Lake $1,229Sonora $772
Growth since 2010+11.9 pts
Eagle Lake has grown faster since 2010
Eagle Lake -5.4%Sonora -17.3%
Work in town+19.7 pts
More of Sonora’s workers stay in town
Sonora 28.6%Eagle Lake 8.9%
Property tax bill+24%
Tax bills are bigger in Sonora
Sonora $1,796Eagle Lake $1,448
★ What stands out · Report cards

Eagle Lake places higher on 13 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
A−SonoraSafer than 82% of U.S. towns –Eagle LakeNot graded
Schools
A−SonoraBetter than 81% of districts in the state C−Eagle LakeBetter than 20% of districts in the state
Health
C−SonoraHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns C+Eagle LakeHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns
7Sonora
13Eagle Lake

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

Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #41#581 Best schoolsSchools · 583 towns #142#528 Cheapest rentCost of living · 624 towns #50#332 Most conserved landOutdoors · 572 towns #66#213 HealthiestHealth · 651 towns #446#290 Most activeHealth · 652 towns #506#350 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #309#171 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #533#428

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Sonora$940/mo
Typical home $150K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.25% · or rent about $772/mo · Housing →
Eagle Lake$1,040/mo
Typical home $171K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.05% · or rent about $1,229/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,200 a year, between Eagle Lake and Sonora.

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
SonoraEagle Lake
Snow a year1″0″
January low32°F39°F
July high93°F96°F
Growing season (days)234d255d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)64th54th
Outdoors & history
SonoraEagle Lake
Trails0 mi4 mi
Conserved land9.8%3.1%
National Register places21
Archive photos—7
Famous people born here—6
Community
SonoraEagle Lake
Library hours a week46 hrs36 hrs
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.

Where they are

267 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SonoraTXEagle LakeTX
Sonora ↔ Eagle Lake267 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.

SonoraEagle Lake
People
Population 2,691Lowest 3,485Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -17.3%Lowest TX: +15.9% -5.4%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 30.5±5.5Lowest 14% below TX 30.8±4Highest 13% below TX
Eagle Lake and Sonora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 28.1%±7.8Highest TX: 25% 25.2%±8Lowest TX: 25%
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.7%±4.4Highest TX: 13.4% 14.7%±4.7Lowest TX: 13.4%
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.9%Lowest TX: 33.8% 20.3%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±3Highest TX: 6.2% 2.9%±2.2Lowest TX: 6.2%
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $71,848±$22kHighest 8% below TX $69,205±$25kLowest 12% below TX
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $143,200±$37kHighest 50% below TX $137,900±$29kLowest 51% below TX
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $772±$152Lowest 45% below TX $1,229±$267Highest 12% below TX
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,796Highest 58% below TX $1,448Lowest 66% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 23.1%±16.4Highest TX: 51.7% 15.4%±11Lowest TX: 51.7%
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.4%Lowest TX: 13.8% 14.1%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 71.2%Lowest TX: 62.6% 72.3%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Highest 21 yrs older than TX 1965Lowest 27 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 4% above TX 27 minLowest about the TX average
Work from home 4.9%±5.4Highest TX: 14.4% 3%±1.9Lowest TX: 14.4%
Sonora and Eagle Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 28.6%Highest 8.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 60.3 miHighest 38.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.66Highest 0.62Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Angelo (12%)Houston (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Eagle LakeFew work in Sonora
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 9.8%Highest 3.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 4.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 96.1Highest 81.3Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #142 of 583 in TX#528 of 583 in TX
School district SONORA ISDRICE CISD
High school in town Sonora Secondary SchoolRice Challenge Academy
Students per teacherat that high school 8.5Lowest 28.5Highest
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.

Sonora neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sonora’s Town Square.

Eagle Lake neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Eagle Lake’s Town Square.

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas 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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