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Compare towns

Steele vs Gainesville

147 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.9× in Gainesville) and household income (+69% in Steele).

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Steele, MOOne of the healthiest townsMissouri · 1,493 people
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Gainesville, MOOne of the healthiest townsMissouri · 1,010 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.

SteeleOne of the healthiest towns
Health95% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$117K typical home56% below the MO typical home SchoolsBetter than 8%of MO districts All about Steele →
GainesvilleOne of the healthiest towns
Health99% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Work559 jobsbased in Gainesville, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 82%of MO districts All about Gainesville →
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.

Jobs per worker4.9×
Gainesville is more of a job hub
Gainesville 2.54Steele 0.52
Household income+69%
Households in Steele earn more
Steele $54,600Gainesville $32,391
Property tax bill+69%
Tax bills are bigger in Steele
Steele $1,070Gainesville $634
Growth since 2010+11.1 pts
Gainesville has grown faster since 2010
Gainesville -3.6%Steele -14.7%
Street grid+92%
Steele has the more walkable street grid
Steele 63.1Gainesville 32.8
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $500 more a month in Gainesville

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.

Steele$700/mo
Typical home $117K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.90% · or rent about $707/mo · Housing →
Gainesville$1,200/mo
Typical home $212K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.53% · or rent about $457/mo · Housing →

The difference: $500 a month, about $6,000 a year, between Gainesville and Steele.

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
DSteeleSafer than 12% of U.S. towns –GainesvilleNot graded
Schools
DSteeleBetter than 8% of districts in the state A−GainesvilleBetter than 82% of districts in the state
Health
D−SteeleHealthier than 5% of U.S. towns D−GainesvilleHealthier than under 1% 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
SteeleGainesville
Snow a year3″6″
January low30°F—
July high90°F—
Growing season (days)240d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th73rd
Outdoors & history
SteeleGainesville
Settled—1841
National Register places—1
Archive photos—2
Community
SteeleGainesville
Library hours a week16 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

147 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SteeleMOGainesvilleMO
Steele ↔ Gainesville147 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.

SteeleGainesville
People
Population 1,493Highest 1,010Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -14.7%Lowest MO: +2.8% -3.6%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 38.4±9.6Lowest about the MO average 40.4±13.4Highest 4% above MO
Gainesville and Steele are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.8%±5.3Highest MO: 22.3% 23.7%±5.2Lowest MO: 22.3%
Steele and Gainesville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.9%±4Lowest MO: 17.9% 25.6%±5.8Highest MO: 17.9%
Gainesville and Steele are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.8%Highest MO: 32.4% 15.6%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±1.6Lowest MO: 5.7% 4.2%±2.9Highest MO: 5.7%
Gainesville and Steele are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $54,600±$10kHighest 23% below MO $32,391±$6kLowest 54% below MO
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $119,200±$26kLowest 48% below MO $119,500±$38kHighest 48% below MO
Gainesville and Steele are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $707±$100Highest 32% below MO $457±$179Lowest 56% below MO
Steele and Gainesville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,070Highest 45% below MO $634Lowest 67% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 44.8%±22.3Highest MO: 45.6% 37.2%±19.3Lowest MO: 45.6%
Steele and Gainesville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 24.4%Lowest MO: 12.6% 29%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 49.4%Lowest MO: 68.1% 50.3%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 4 yrs older than MO 1968Lowest 10 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 20% below MO 22 minHighest 7% below MO
Work from home 1.9%±2.1Lowest MO: 13% 7.8%±7.5Highest MO: 13%
Gainesville and Steele are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 12.5%Lowest 20%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.52Lowest 2.54Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Blytheville (10%)Mountain Home (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GainesvilleFew work in Steele
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 63.1Highest 32.8Lowest
Schools
School district SOUTH PEMISCOT CO. R-VGAINESVILLE R-V
High school in town South Pemiscot HighGainesville High
Students per teacherat that high school 13.3Lowest 13.5Highest
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.

Steele neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Steele’s Town Square.

Gainesville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Gainesville’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Steele and Gainesville

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Towns like Steele

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Osceola1,042 people · $127K homes
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Appleton City1,221 people · $98K homes
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Slater2,066 people · $85K homes
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Gerald1,368 people · $151K 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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