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Compare towns

Thomas vs Walters

98 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (4.8× in Thomas) and property tax bill (+67% in Walters).

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Thomas, OKKnown for its schoolsOklahoma · 1,170 people
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Walters, OKOne of the healthiest townsOklahoma · 2,091 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.

ThomasKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 95%of OK districts Health76% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$156K typical home30% below the OK typical home All about Thomas →
WaltersOne of the healthiest towns
Health91% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$112K typical home50% below the OK typical home SafetySafer than 37%of U.S. towns we grade All about Walters →
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.

Street grid4.8×
Thomas has the more walkable street grid
Thomas 114Walters 23.5
Property tax bill+67%
Tax bills are bigger in Walters
Walters $889Thomas $531
Trails2.7×
Walters has more miles of trail
Walters 0.8 miThomas 0.3 mi
Jobs per worker+89%
Thomas is more of a job hub
Thomas 1.02Walters 0.54
Average commute5 min
Walters has the shorter commute
Thomas 27 minWalters 21 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $220 more a month in Thomas

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.

Thomas$870/mo
Typical home $156K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.39% · or rent about $723/mo · Housing →
Walters$650/mo
Typical home $112K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.70% · or rent about $719/mo · Housing →

The difference: $220 a month, about $2,600 a year, between Thomas and Walters.

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 Oklahoma ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
B+ThomasSafer than 66% of U.S. towns C+WaltersSafer than 37% of U.S. towns
Schools
A+ThomasBetter than 95% of districts in the state C+WaltersBetter than 43% of districts in the state
Health
C−ThomasHealthier than 24% of U.S. towns DWaltersHealthier than 9% 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
ThomasWalters
Snow a year7″2″
January low—27°F
July high—97°F
Growing season (days)—218d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)69th53rd
Outdoors & history
ThomasWalters
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%4%
Settled18941901
National Register places13
Archive photos7—
Famous people born here2—
Community
ThomasWalters
Library hours a week43 hrs25 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

98 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ThomasOKWaltersOK
Thomas ↔ Walters98 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.

ThomasWalters
People
Population 1,170Lowest 2,091Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.2%Highest OK: +5.5% -5.4%Lowest OK: +5.5%
Median age 39.6±6.4Lowest 7% above OK 40.4±2.5Highest 9% above OK
Walters and Thomas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 28.6%±3.5Highest OK: 24% 27.9%±4.4Lowest OK: 24%
Thomas and Walters are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.3%±3Highest OK: 16.3% 14.9%±2.9Lowest OK: 16.3%
Thomas and Walters are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21.8%Highest OK: 28.3% 19.6%Lowest OK: 28.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.7%±2Highest OK: 5.8% 2.5%±1.6Lowest OK: 5.8%
Thomas and Walters are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $62,500±$6kHighest 4% below OK $54,425±$5kLowest 16% below OK
Thomas and Walters are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $135,400±$14kHighest 32% below OK $126,900±$16kLowest 36% below OK
Thomas and Walters are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $723±$75Highest 29% below OK $719±$126Lowest 29% below OK
Thomas and Walters are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $531Lowest 67% below OK $889Highest 44% below OK
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61%±20.7Highest OK: 46.3% 44.4%±23.7Lowest OK: 46.3%
Thomas and Walters are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 13.7%Lowest OK: 15.3% 26.8%Highest OK: 15.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 81.1%Highest OK: 65.8% 78.7%Lowest OK: 65.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than OK 1971Highest 9 yrs older than OK
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 18% above OK 21 minLowest 6% below OK
Work from home 3.6%±2.3Highest OK: 9.4% 2.4%±2.3Lowest OK: 9.4%
Thomas and Walters are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 15.9%Lowest 23%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.3 miHighest 20.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.02Highest 0.54Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Oklahoma City (11%)Lawton (25%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WaltersFew work in Thomas
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 114Highest 23.5Lowest
Schools
School district THOMAS-FAY-CUSTER UNIFIED DISTWALTERS
High school in town Thomas-Fay-Custer Unified HSWalters HS
Students per teacherat that high school 11.7Lowest 14.2Highest
Oklahoma 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.

Thomas neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Thomas’s Town Square.

Walters neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Walters’s Town Square.

Add a town

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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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