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Union Star vs Alba

190 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (47 min in Alba) and property tax bill (+40% in Union Star).

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Union Star, MOHomes around $181KMissouri · 559 people

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Alba, MOA small town of 624Missouri · 624 people

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.

Union StarHomes around $181K

Housing$181K typical home32% below the MO typical home All about Union Star →

AlbaA small town of 624

Quiet strengthsAlba doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Alba →

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.

Average commute47 min

Alba has the shorter commute

Union Star 82 minAlba 35 min

Property tax bill+40%

Tax bills are bigger in Union Star

Union Star $1,009Alba $722

Typical home built15 yrs

Union Star’s homes are older

Alba 1977Union Star 1962

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $600 more a month in Union Star

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.

Down paymentRate%

Union Star$1,090/mo

Typical home $181K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $913/mo · Housing →

Alba$500/mo

Typical home $83K (Census) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $865/mo · Housing →

The difference: $600 a month, about $7,200 a year, between Union Star and Alba.

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

Union StarAlba

Snow a year18″8″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)53rd 71st

Outdoors & history

Union StarAlba

Settled—1882

Famous people born here—1

Community

Union StarAlba

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

Union StarMO AlbaMO

Union Star ↔ Alba190 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.

Only big differences vs Missouri average

Union StarAlba

People

Population 559Lowest 624Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -2% MO: +2.8%

Median age 27.4±6.4Lowest 30% below MO 29±9.4Highest 26% below MO

Alba and Union Star are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 24.5%±3.8Lowest MO: 22.3% 40.5%±19.9Highest MO: 22.3%

Alba and Union Star are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 19.1%±3.2Highest MO: 17.9% 12.3%±4.4Lowest MO: 17.9%

Union Star and Alba are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.1%Highest MO: 32.4% 13.3%Lowest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.7%±6.8Highest MO: 5.7% 2.4%±1.8Lowest MO: 5.7%

Union Star and Alba are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $61,299±$9kHighest 13% below MO $51,510±$4kLowest 27% below MO

Union Star and Alba are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $105,700±$13kHighest 54% below MO $83,200±$10kLowest 64% below MO

Union Star and Alba are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $913±$94Highest 12% below MO $865±$168Lowest 16% below MO

Union Star and Alba are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,009Highest 48% below MO $722Lowest 63% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 10%±30.3Lowest MO: 45.6% 42.5%±34.5Highest MO: 45.6%

Alba and Union Star are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 4.5%Lowest MO: 12.6% 32.4%Highest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 64.1%Lowest MO: 68.1% 67.7%Highest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 16 yrs older than MO 1977Highest 1 yr older than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 82 minHighest 248% above MO 35 minLowest 50% above MO

Work from home 5.6%±4.3Lowest MO: 13% 9%±8.3Highest MO: 13%

Alba and Union Star are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 0% 0%

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miHighest 12.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.15Lowest 0.18Highest

Top workplaceoutside town St. Joseph (36%)Joplin (28%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AlbaFew work in Union Star

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 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 172Highest 131Lowest

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.

Union Star neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Union Star’s Town Square.

Alba neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alba’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Union Star and Alba

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Bordering Union Star

Polk Township909 people · $124K homes

Towns like Union Star

Leeton660 people · $100K homes

Ewing542 people · $104K homes

Washburn498 people · $123K homes

Lincoln Township388 people · $86K 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.