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Compare towns

Thomson vs Adel

171 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+30% in Thomson) and average commute (7 min in Thomson).

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Thomson, GAAn outdoors townGeorgia · 6,821 people
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Adel, GAKnown for its schoolsGeorgia · 5,641 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.

ThomsonAn outdoors town
Outdoors#65 most walkable in GA0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves Housing$199K typical home40% below the GA typical home Health92% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Thomson →
AdelKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 51%of GA districts Housing$176K typical home47% below the GA typical home Health90% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Adel →
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.

Property tax bill+30%
Tax bills are bigger in Thomson
Thomson $1,565Adel $1,208
Average commute7 min
Thomson has the shorter commute
Adel 23 minThomson 17 min
Street grid+54%
Thomson has the more walkable street grid
Thomson 70.8Adel 45.9
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Georgia ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
DThomsonBetter than 14% of districts in the state B−AdelBetter than 51% of districts in the state
Health
DThomsonHealthier than 8% of U.S. towns DAdelHealthier than 10% of U.S. towns
9Thomson
9Adel

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 256 towns #214#27 Most remote workersWork · 257 towns #115#230 Most walkableOutdoors · 265 towns #65#158 Shortest commuteGetting around · 265 towns #13#90 Lowest obesityHealth · 263 towns #198#150 Lowest property taxCost of living · 264 towns #91#43 Most educatedPeople · 265 towns #230#183 Lowest depressionHealth · 263 towns #76#119

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $170 more a month in Thomson

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.

Thomson$1,210/mo
Typical home $199K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.97% · or rent about $848/mo · Housing →
Adel$1,040/mo
Typical home $176K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $969/mo · Housing →

The difference: $170 a month, about $2,000 a year, between Thomson and Adel.

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
ThomsonAdel
Snow a year1″0″
January low34°F39°F
July high90°F90°F
Growing season (days)237d268d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)15th52nd
Outdoors & history
ThomsonAdel
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land2.4%1.4%
Settled18371889
National Register places73
Archive photos124
Famous people born here118
Community
ThomsonAdel
Library hours a week42 hrs37 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

171 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ThomsonGAAdelGA
Thomson ↔ Adel171 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.

ThomsonAdel
People
Population 6,821Highest 5,641Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.5%Lowest GA: +10.6% +4.4%Highest GA: +10.6%
Median age 38.1±3.6Highest about the GA average 36.8±5.2Lowest about the GA average
Thomson and Adel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.2%±6.2Highest GA: 23.2% 23.7%±5.8Lowest GA: 23.2%
Thomson and Adel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.9%±3.6Lowest GA: 15% 16.3%±3.3Highest GA: 15%
Adel and Thomson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.3%Lowest GA: 34.9% 18.5%Highest GA: 34.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.1%±2.5Highest GA: 6.4% 3.7%±2.3Lowest GA: 6.4%
Thomson and Adel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $42,180±$10kLowest 45% below GA $43,618±$14kHighest 44% below GA
Adel and Thomson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $161,100±$31kHighest 47% below GA $154,900±$15kLowest 49% below GA
Thomson and Adel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $848±$95Lowest 39% below GA $969±$51Highest 30% below GA
Adel and Thomson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,565Highest 33% below GA $1,208Lowest 48% below GA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 68.3%±17.1Highest GA: 52.4% 61.5%±15.7Lowest GA: 52.4%
Thomson and Adel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 28.8%Highest GA: 13.4% 23.9%Lowest GA: 13.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 48.5%Lowest GA: 65.7% 55.2%Highest GA: 65.7%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest 13 yrs older than GA 1980Highest 12 yrs older than GA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 41% below GA 23 minHighest 17% below GA
Work from home 10.2%±8.1Highest GA: 15.9% 2.7%±2.5Lowest GA: 15.9%
Thomson and Adel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 15.9%Lowest 21.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miHighest 20.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.14Lowest 1.32Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Augusta (15%)Valdosta (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AdelFew work in Thomson
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.4%Highest 1.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 1.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.8Highest 45.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #209 of 231 in GA—
School district McDuffie CountyCook County
High school in town Thomson High SchoolNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 16.0 —
Georgia 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.

Thomson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Thomson’s Town Square.

Adel neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Adel’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Thomson

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Jackson5,741 people · $168K 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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