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Compare towns

St. Joseph vs Raytown

56 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (51.4× in St. Joseph) and work in town (+61.7 pts in St. Joseph).

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St. Joseph, MOA history townMissouri · 71,236 people
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Raytown, MOAn outdoors townMissouri · 29,445 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.

St. JosephA history town
HistorySettled in 184360 places on the National Register Outdoors#27 most trails in MO41 miles of trails across 35 parks and preserves Famous people52 notable peopleborn in St. Joseph All about St. Joseph →
RaytownAn outdoors town
Outdoors#47 most walkable in MO0.8 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 5%of U.S. towns we grade Health77% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Raytown →
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.

Trails51.4×
St. Joseph has more miles of trail
St. Joseph 41.1 miRaytown 0.8 mi
Work in town+61.7 pts
More of St. Joseph’s workers stay in town
St. Joseph 67.5%Raytown 5.8%
Property tax bill+83%
Tax bills are bigger in Raytown
Raytown $2,239St. Joseph $1,225
Jobs per worker2.6×
St. Joseph is more of a job hub
St. Joseph 1.40Raytown 0.54
Rent+36%
Rent runs higher in Raytown
Raytown $1,218St. Joseph $898
Growth since 2010+7.2 pts
Raytown has grown faster since 2010
Raytown +1.6%St. Joseph -5.6%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $230 more a month in Raytown

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.

St. Joseph$1,090/mo
Typical home $184K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $898/mo · Housing →
Raytown$1,310/mo
Typical home $210K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.22% · or rent about $1,218/mo · Housing →

The difference: $230 a month, about $2,700 a year, between Raytown and St. Joseph.

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

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.

Safety
DSt. JosephSafer than 6% of U.S. towns DRaytownSafer than 5% of U.S. towns
Schools
C−St. JosephBetter than 17% of districts in the state DRaytownBetter than 11% of districts in the state
Health
DSt. JosephHealthier than 14% of U.S. towns C−RaytownHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns
10St. Joseph
10Raytown

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Shortest commuteGetting around · 261 towns #39#178 Most conserved landOutdoors · 235 towns #58#162 Lowest obesityHealth · 261 towns #228#119 Lowest property taxCost of living · 259 towns #90#188 Cheapest rentCost of living · 256 towns #113#204 Fastest growingGrowth · 260 towns #210#131 Most remote workersWork · 255 towns #156#88 Most walkableOutdoors · 261 towns #111#47

Left end = #1 in Missouri. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of St. Joseph’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
St. JosephRaytown
Snow a year21″9″
January low17°F—
July high87°F—
Growing season (days)182d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th23rd
Outdoors & history
St. JosephRaytown
Trails41 mi1 mi
Conserved land4.2%1.4%
Settled18431849
National Register places601
Archive photos—6
Famous people born here528
Community
St. JosephRaytown
Library hours a week64 hrs69 hrs
Colleges in town1—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

56 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

St. JosephMORaytownMO
St. Joseph ↔ Raytown56 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.

St. JosephRaytown
People
Population 71,236Highest 29,445Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.6%Lowest MO: +2.8% +1.6%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 38.1±0.5Lowest about the MO average 40.9±2Highest 5% above MO
Kids under 18 22.1%±0.8Highest MO: 22.3% 20.8%±2.6Lowest MO: 22.3%
St. Joseph and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.8%±0.8Lowest MO: 17.9% 18.9%±2.1Highest MO: 17.9%
Raytown and St. Joseph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23%Highest MO: 32.4% 22%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.3%±0.7Highest MO: 5.7% 4.5%±1.1Lowest MO: 5.7%
St. Joseph and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $57,956±$3kLowest 18% below MO $68,840±$6kHighest about the MO average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $154,200±$5kLowest 33% below MO $182,900±$7kHighest 21% below MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $898±$31Lowest 13% below MO $1,218±$93Highest 18% above MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,225Lowest 37% below MO $2,239Highest 15% above MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.7%±5.2Highest MO: 45.6% 46.7%±9.2Lowest MO: 45.6%
St. Joseph and Raytown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.7%Highest MO: 12.6% 12.5%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.8%Lowest MO: 68.1% 65.1%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962 16 yrs older than MO 1962 16 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 28% below MO 24 minHighest about the MO average
Work from home 7.1%±1.2Lowest MO: 13% 11.5%±2.7Highest MO: 13%
Work in townworking residents 67.5%Highest 5.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 3.8 miLowest 10.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.40Highest 0.54Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (7%)Kansas City (38%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RaytownFew work in St. Joseph
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.2%Highest 1.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 41.1 miHighest 0.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 35Highest 6Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 68.3Lowest 95.5Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #179 of 226 in MO#213 of 226 in MO
School district DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE · DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONSRAYTOWN C-2
High school in town Central HighRaytown SR. High
Students per teacherat that high school 16.4Highest 16.0Lowest
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.

St. Joseph neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to St. Joseph’s Town Square.

Raytown neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 4d

Raytown School Spirit

1 neighbor in Raytown can answer.

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Bordering St. Joseph

W
+ Compare
Washington Township, KS2,922 people · $125K homes

Towns like St. Joseph

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Florissant51,773 people · $149K homes
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Independence121,740 people · $173K homes
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Joplin52,593 people · $168K homes
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Blue Springs59,965 people · $263K homes

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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