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Van vs Shallowater

376 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+18.1 pts in Shallowater) and work from home (+14.1 pts in Van).

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Van, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,806 people

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Shallowater, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,955 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.

VanKnown for its schools

Schools#182 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$244K typical home19% below the TX typical home Health59% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Van →

ShallowaterKnown for its schools

Schools#22 for schools in TXof 583 towns HealthHealthier than 66%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$308K typical home3% above the TX typical home All about Shallowater →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+18.1 pts

Shallowater has grown faster since 2010

Shallowater +19.3%Van +1.2%

Work from home+14.1 pts

More people work from home in Van

Van 20.1%Shallowater 6%

Property tax bill+48%

Tax bills are bigger in Shallowater

Shallowater $3,876Van $2,623

Average commute11 min

Shallowater has the shorter commute

Van 31 minShallowater 20 min

Jobs per worker2.1×

Van is more of a job hub

Van 1.19Shallowater 0.56

Street grid+56%

Shallowater has the more walkable street grid

Shallowater 83.0Van 53.3

★ What stands out · Report cards

Shallowater places higher on 12 of 20 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

B+VanSafer than 70% of U.S. towns B+ShallowaterSafer than 65% of U.S. towns

Schools

BVanBetter than 55% of districts in the state A+ShallowaterBetter than 95% of districts in the state

Health

C+VanHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns B+ShallowaterHealthier than 66% of U.S. towns

8Van

12Shallowater

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Shortest commuteGetting around · 653 towns #511#123 Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #339#41 Fastest growingGrowth · 640 towns #448#188 Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #618#383 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #392#180 Best schoolsSchools · 583 towns #182#22 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #381#217 Lowest property taxCost of living · 647 towns #264#397

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $490 more a month in Shallowater

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%

Van$1,590/mo

Typical home $244K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.54% · or rent about $1,220/mo · Housing →

Shallowater$2,090/mo

Typical home $308K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.85% · or rent about $1,202/mo · Housing →

The difference: $490 a month, about $5,900 a year, between Shallowater and Van.

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

VanShallowater

Snow a year1″7″

January low33°F —

July high93°F —

Growing season (days)235d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)14th 58th

Outdoors & history

VanShallowater

Settled—1909

Community

VanShallowater

Library hours a week—20 hrs

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

376 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

VanTX ShallowaterTX

Van ↔ Shallowater376 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 Texas average

VanShallowater

People

Population 2,806Lowest 2,955Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.2%Lowest TX: +15.9% +19.3%Highest TX: +15.9%

Median age 36.3±6.2Lowest about the TX average 37.8±5.6Highest 6% above TX

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

Kids under 18 32.7%±7.4Highest TX: 25% 31.1%±5Lowest TX: 25%

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

Age 65+ 12.9%±4.1Lowest TX: 13.4% 13.1%±3.4Highest TX: 13.4%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28.1%Highest TX: 33.8% 24.3%Lowest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±1.8Lowest TX: 6.2% 7.2%±3.6Highest TX: 6.2%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $69,155±$10kLowest 12% below TX $89,107±$18kHighest 14% above TX

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $169,900±$7kLowest 40% below TX $210,000±$73kHighest 26% below TX

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,220±$124Highest 13% below TX $1,202±$349Lowest 14% below TX

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,623Lowest 38% below TX $3,876Highest 8% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 39.7%±17.5Highest TX: 51.7% 39.4%±13Lowest TX: 51.7%

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

Below poverty line 8.7%Highest TX: 13.8% 3.7%Lowest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 78.4%Highest TX: 62.6% 76.9%Lowest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1981Lowest 11 yrs older than TX 1985Highest 7 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 16% above TX 20 minLowest 27% below TX

Work from home 20.1%±10.5Highest TX: 14.4% 6%±3.6Lowest TX: 14.4%

Work in townworking residents 15.2%Highest 9.5%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.3 miHighest 11.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.19Highest 0.56Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Tyler (13%)Lubbock (56%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ShallowaterFew work in Van

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Highest 0.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 53.3Lowest 83.0Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #182 of 583 in TX #22 of 583 in TX

School district VAN ISDSHALLOWATER ISD

High school in town Van H SShallowater H S

Students per teacherat that high school 14.9Highest 10.4Lowest

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.

Van neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Van’s Town Square.

Shallowater neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Shallowater’s Town Square.

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Towns like Van

Abernathy3,278 people · $176K homes

Early3,143 people · $180K homes

Hico1,771 people · $177K homes

Dublin3,419 people · $149K 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.