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Sonora vs Taft

265 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+9.2 pts in Taft) and work in town (+18.3 pts in Sonora).

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Sonora, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,691 people
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Taft, TXHomes around $160KTexas · 2,871 people
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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 →
TaftHomes around $160K
Housing$160K typical home46% below the TX typical home Health93% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors#170 most conserved land in TX0.6 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Taft →
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.

Growth since 2010+9.2 pts
Taft has grown faster since 2010
Taft -8.1%Sonora -17.3%
Work in town+18.3 pts
More of Sonora’s workers stay in town
Sonora 28.6%Taft 10.3%
Property tax bill+18%
Tax bills are bigger in Taft
Taft $2,121Sonora $1,796
★ What stands out · Report cards

Sonora places higher on 14 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
A−SonoraSafer than 82% of U.S. towns BTaftSafer than 63% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−SonoraBetter than 81% of districts in the state CTaftBetter than 30% of districts in the state
Health
C−SonoraHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns DTaftHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns
14Sonora
6Taft

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

Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #533#183 Best schoolsSchools · 583 towns #142#498 Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #41#339 Cheapest rentCost of living · 624 towns #50#304 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 632 towns #599#373 Lowest obesityHealth · 652 towns #427#601 Most remote workersWork · 624 towns #459#620 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #309#469

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 →
Taft$1,070/mo
Typical home $160K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.71% · or rent about $1,179/mo · Housing →

The difference: $130 a month, about $1,500 a year, between Taft 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
SonoraTaft
Snow a year1″0″
January low32°F45°F
July high93°F93°F
Growing season (days)234d324d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)64th77th
Outdoors & history
SonoraTaft
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land9.8%4.4%
National Register places22
Community
SonoraTaft
Library hours a week46 hrs43 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

265 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SonoraTXTaftTX
Sonora ↔ Taft265 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.

SonoraTaft
People
Population 2,691Lowest 2,871Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -17.3%Lowest TX: +15.9% -8.1%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 30.5±5.5Lowest 14% below TX 30.9±7Highest 13% below TX
Taft and Sonora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 28.1%±7.8Lowest TX: 25% 35.8%±8.6Highest TX: 25%
Taft and Sonora 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% 11.9%±3.2Lowest TX: 13.4%
Sonora and Taft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.9%Highest TX: 33.8% 14%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±3Highest TX: 6.2% 3.5%±2.4Lowest TX: 6.2%
Sonora and Taft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $71,848±$22kLowest 8% below TX $73,032±$22kHighest 7% below TX
Taft and Sonora 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 $124,200±$49kLowest 56% below TX
Sonora and Taft 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 $1,179±$442Highest 16% below TX
Taft and Sonora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,796Lowest 58% below TX $2,121Highest 50% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 23.1%±16.4Lowest TX: 51.7% 46.8%±14.1Highest TX: 51.7%
Taft and Sonora 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% 21.3%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 71.2%Highest TX: 62.6% 69%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Highest 21 yrs older than TX 1964Lowest 28 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% 0%±1.6Lowest TX: 14.4%
Sonora and Taft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 28.6%Highest 10.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 60.3 miHighest 15.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.66Highest 0.57Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Angelo (12%)Corpus Christi (29%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TaftFew work in Sonora
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 9.8%Highest 4.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 96.1Highest 80.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #142 of 583 in TX#498 of 583 in TX
School district SONORA ISDERATH EXCELS ACADEMY INC · TAFT ISD
High school in town Sonora Secondary SchoolTaft H S
Students per teacherat that high school 8.5Lowest 10.6Highest
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.

Taft neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Taft’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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