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Tom Bean vs Kempner

190 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+16.2 pts in Kempner) and street grid (+86% in Tom Bean).

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Tom Bean, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 799 people
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Kempner, TXOne of the safest townsTexas · 1,215 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.

Tom BeanKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 73%of TX districts All about Tom Bean →
KempnerOne of the safest towns
SafetySafer than 99%of U.S. towns we grade Housing$369K typical home23% above the TX typical home All about Kempner →
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+16.2 pts
Kempner has grown faster since 2010
Kempner +5.2%Tom Bean -11%
Street grid+86%
Tom Bean has the more walkable street grid
Tom Bean 47.2Kempner 25.4
Age 65++6.7 pts
Tom Bean has more people 65 and up
Tom Bean 21.4%Kempner 14.7%
Average commute4 min
Tom Bean has the shorter commute
Kempner 31 minTom Bean 27 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $790 more a month in Kempner

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.

Tom Bean$1,470/mo
Typical home $232K (Census) · tax rate 1.31% · or rent about $1,581/mo · Housing →
Kempner$2,260/mo
Typical home $369K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.07% · or rent about $1,044/mo · Housing →

The difference: $790 a month, about $9,500 a year, between Kempner and Tom Bean.

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

Safety
–Tom BeanNot graded A+KempnerSafer than 99% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+Tom BeanBetter than 73% of districts in the state –KempnerNot graded
Health
–Tom BeanNot graded B−KempnerHealthier than 45% 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
Tom BeanKempner
Snow a year1″0″
January low33°F—
July high94°F—
Growing season (days)242d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)35th30th
Outdoors & history
Tom BeanKempner
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0%
Community
Tom BeanKempner
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

190 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Tom BeanTXKempnerTX
Tom Bean ↔ Kempner190 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.

Tom BeanKempner
People
Population 799Lowest 1,215Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -11%Lowest TX: +15.9% +5.2%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 47.1±8.8Lowest 32% above TX 47.6±7.9Highest 34% above TX
Kempner and Tom Bean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 18%±8Lowest TX: 25% 19.6%±4.8Highest TX: 25%
Kempner and Tom Bean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.4%±3.5Highest TX: 13.4% 14.7%±2.4Lowest TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 10.3%Lowest TX: 33.8% 13.2%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.4%±3.1Highest TX: 6.2% 4%±3.6Lowest TX: 6.2%
Tom Bean and Kempner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $88,824±$10kHighest 13% above TX $75,357±$16kLowest 4% below TX
Tom Bean and Kempner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $232,300±$27kLowest 18% below TX $249,200±$49kHighest 12% below TX
Kempner and Tom Bean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,581±$660Highest 13% above TX $1,044±$162Lowest 26% below TX
Tom Bean and Kempner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,035Highest 28% below TX $2,656Lowest 37% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 27.8%±17.5Lowest TX: 51.7% 43.2%±16.5Highest TX: 51.7%
Kempner and Tom Bean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 2.6%Highest TX: 13.8% 2.5%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68.5%Lowest TX: 62.6% 74%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest 13 yrs older than TX 1989Highest 3 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest about the TX average 31 minHighest 16% above TX
Work from home 12.8%±5.5Lowest TX: 14.4% 18.7%±12.7Highest TX: 14.4%
Kempner and Tom Bean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.6%Highest 0.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 33.3 miLowest 42.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.16Highest 0.14Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Sherman (10%)Copperas Cove (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in KempnerFew work in Tom Bean
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 47.2Highest 25.4Lowest
Schools
School district TOM BEAN ISD—
High school in town Tom Bean H S—
Students per teacherat that high school 10.0 —
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.

Tom Bean neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Tom Bean’s Town Square.

Kempner neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Kempner’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Tom Bean and Kempner

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Tom Bean

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Granger1,046 people · $185K homes
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East Mountain958 people · $197K 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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