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Taft vs Sonora

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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Taft, TXHomes around $160KTexas · 2,871 people
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Sonora, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,691 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.

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

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

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

Left end = #1 in Texas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Taft’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.

Taft$1,070/mo
Typical home $160K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.71% · or rent about $1,179/mo · Housing →
Sonora$940/mo
Typical home $150K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.25% · or rent about $772/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
TaftSonora
Snow a year0″1″
January low45°F32°F
July high93°F93°F
Growing season (days)324d234d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th64th
Outdoors & history
TaftSonora
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land4.4%9.8%
National Register places22
Community
TaftSonora
Library hours a week43 hrs46 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.

TaftTXSonoraTX
Taft ↔ Sonora265 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.

TaftSonora
People
Population 2,871Highest 2,691Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8.1%Highest TX: +15.9% -17.3%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 30.9±7Highest 13% below TX 30.5±5.5Lowest 14% 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 35.8%±8.6Highest TX: 25% 28.1%±7.8Lowest TX: 25%
Taft and Sonora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.9%±3.2Lowest TX: 13.4% 17.7%±4.4Highest 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+ 14%Lowest TX: 33.8% 15.9%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.5%±2.4Lowest TX: 6.2% 3.7%±3Highest 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 $73,032±$22kHighest 7% below TX $71,848±$22kLowest 8% 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 $124,200±$49kLowest 56% below TX $143,200±$37kHighest 50% 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 $1,179±$442Highest 16% below TX $772±$152Lowest 45% 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 $2,121Highest 50% below TX $1,796Lowest 58% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46.8%±14.1Highest TX: 51.7% 23.1%±16.4Lowest 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 21.3%Highest TX: 13.8% 5.4%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69%Lowest TX: 62.6% 71.2%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1964Lowest 28 yrs older than TX 1971Highest 21 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest about the TX average 28 minHighest 4% above TX
Work from home 0%±1.6Lowest TX: 14.4% 4.9%±5.4Highest 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 10.3%Lowest 28.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miLowest 60.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.57Lowest 0.66Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Corpus Christi (29%)San Angelo (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SonoraFew work in Taft
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.4%Lowest 9.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 80.6Lowest 96.1Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #498 of 583 in TX#142 of 583 in TX
School district ERATH EXCELS ACADEMY INC · TAFT ISDSONORA ISD
High school in town Taft H SSonora Secondary School
Students per teacherat that high school 10.6Highest 8.5Lowest
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.

Taft neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Taft’s Town Square.

Sonora neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sonora’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Taft

T
+ Compare
Taft Southwest1,635 people · $94K homes

Towns like Taft

F
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Freer2,253 people · $96K homes
W
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West Orange3,420 people · $111K homes
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Overton2,444 people · $115K homes
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Eagle Lake3,485 people · $138K homes
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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