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Spearman vs Van

406 miles apart. The biggest differences: work from home (+17.8 pts in Van) and work in town (+24.5 pts in Spearman).

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Spearman, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,810 people
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Van, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,806 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.

SpearmanKnown for its schools
Schools#65 for schools in TXof 583 towns Outdoors#81 most walkable in TX0.0 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves Housing$122K typical home59% below the TX typical home All about Spearman →
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.

Work from home+17.8 pts
More people work from home in Van
Van 20.1%Spearman 2.3%
Work in town+24.5 pts
More of Spearman’s workers stay in town
Spearman 39.7%Van 15.2%
Street grid+94%
Spearman has the more walkable street grid
Spearman 103Van 53.3
Growth since 2010+7 pts
Van has grown faster since 2010
Van +1.2%Spearman -5.8%
Average commute6 min
Spearman has the shorter commute
Van 31 minSpearman 25 min
Jobs per worker+55%
Van is more of a job hub
Van 1.19Spearman 0.77
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $740 more a month in Van

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.

Spearman$850/mo
Typical home $122K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.06% · or rent about $1,125/mo · Housing →
Van$1,590/mo
Typical home $244K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.54% · or rent about $1,220/mo · Housing →

The difference: $740 a month, about $8,900 a year, between Van and Spearman.

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.

Report cards

Spearman 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
A+SpearmanSafer than 100% of U.S. towns B+VanSafer than 70% of U.S. towns
Schools
ASpearmanBetter than 91% of districts in the state BVanBetter than 55% of districts in the state
Health
CSpearmanHealthier than 34% of U.S. towns C+VanHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns
12Spearman
8Van

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

Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #148#618 Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #41#339 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 652 towns #470#153 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #81#392 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #516#274 Shortest commuteGetting around · 653 towns #315#511 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #217#381 Most activeHealth · 652 towns #387#226

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

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
SpearmanVan
Snow a year12″1″
January low20°F33°F
July high93°F93°F
Growing season (days)182d235d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)32nd14th
Outdoors & history
SpearmanVan
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land1.4%—
National Register places1—
Community
SpearmanVan
Library hours a week38 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

406 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SpearmanTXVanTX
Spearman ↔ Van406 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.

SpearmanVan
People
Population 2,810Highest 2,806Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.8%Lowest TX: +15.9% +1.2%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 40.9±3.1Highest 15% above TX 36.3±6.2Lowest about the TX average
Spearman and Van are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.4%±4.7Lowest TX: 25% 32.7%±7.4Highest TX: 25%
Van and Spearman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.3%±3.3Highest TX: 13.4% 12.9%±4.1Lowest TX: 13.4%
Spearman and Van are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35.9%Highest TX: 33.8% 28.1%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.7%±1.3Lowest TX: 6.2% 3.7%±1.8Highest TX: 6.2%
Van and Spearman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $68,617±$16kLowest 13% below TX $69,155±$10kHighest 12% below TX
Van and Spearman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $124,000±$55kLowest 56% below TX $169,900±$7kHighest 40% below TX
Van and Spearman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,125±$584Lowest 20% below TX $1,220±$124Highest 13% below TX
Van and Spearman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,560Lowest 40% below TX $2,623Highest 38% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 62.1%±29.7Highest TX: 51.7% 39.7%±17.5Lowest TX: 51.7%
Spearman and Van are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.7%Lowest TX: 13.8% 8.7%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 82.1%Highest TX: 62.6% 78.4%Lowest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 21 yrs older than TX 1981Highest 11 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 7% below TX 31 minHighest 16% above TX
Work from home 2.3%±2.1Lowest TX: 14.4% 20.1%±10.5Highest TX: 14.4%
Work in townworking residents 39.7%Highest 15.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.8 miLowest 25.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.77Lowest 1.19Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Amarillo (5%)Tyler (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in VanFew work in Spearman
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.4%Highest 0.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 103Highest 53.3Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #65 of 583 in TX#182 of 583 in TX
School district SPEARMAN ISDVAN ISD
High school in town Spearman H SVan H S
Students per teacherat that high school 8.3Lowest 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.

Spearman neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Spearman’s Town Square.

Van neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Van’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Spearman and Van

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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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