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Van vs Spearman

406 miles apart. The biggest differences: work from home (+17.8 pts in Van) and work in town (+24.5 pts in Spearman).

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Van, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,806 people
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Spearman, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,810 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.

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 →
SpearmanKnown for its schools
Schools#65 for schools in TXof 583 towns Outdoors#81 most walkable in TX0.0 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves Housing$122K typical home59% below the TX typical home All about Spearman →
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.

Work from home+17.8 pts
More people work from home in Van
Van 20.1%Spearman 2.3%
Work in town+24.5 pts
More of Spearman’s workers stay in town
Spearman 39.7%Van 15.2%
Street grid+94%
Spearman has the more walkable street grid
Spearman 103Van 53.3
Growth since 2010+7 pts
Van has grown faster since 2010
Van +1.2%Spearman -5.8%
Average commute6 min
Spearman has the shorter commute
Van 31 minSpearman 25 min
Jobs per worker+55%
Van is more of a job hub
Van 1.19Spearman 0.77
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $740 more a month in Van

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.

Van$1,590/mo
Typical home $244K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.54% · or rent about $1,220/mo · Housing →
Spearman$850/mo
Typical home $122K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.06% · or rent about $1,125/mo · Housing →

The difference: $740 a month, about $8,900 a year, between Van and Spearman.

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

Spearman 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 A+SpearmanSafer than 100% of U.S. towns
Schools
BVanBetter than 55% of districts in the state ASpearmanBetter than 91% of districts in the state
Health
C+VanHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns CSpearmanHealthier than 34% of U.S. towns
8Van
12Spearman

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

Lowest depressionHealth · 652 towns #618#148 Highest graduation rateSchools · 584 towns #339#41 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 652 towns #153#470 Most walkableOutdoors · 653 towns #392#81 Most new homesHousing · 535 towns #274#516 Shortest commuteGetting around · 653 towns #511#315 Fewest smokersHealth · 652 towns #381#217 Most activeHealth · 652 towns #226#387

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

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
VanSpearman
Snow a year1″12″
January low33°F20°F
July high93°F93°F
Growing season (days)235d182d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)14th32nd
Outdoors & history
VanSpearman
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—1.4%
National Register places—1
Community
VanSpearman
Library hours a week—38 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

406 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

VanTXSpearmanTX
Van ↔ Spearman406 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.

VanSpearman
People
Population 2,806Lowest 2,810Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.2%Highest TX: +15.9% -5.8%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 36.3±6.2Lowest about the TX average 40.9±3.1Highest 15% above TX
Spearman 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% 27.4%±4.7Lowest TX: 25%
Van and Spearman 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% 15.3%±3.3Highest TX: 13.4%
Spearman 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%Lowest TX: 33.8% 35.9%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±1.8Highest TX: 6.2% 1.7%±1.3Lowest TX: 6.2%
Van and Spearman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $69,155±$10kHighest 12% below TX $68,617±$16kLowest 13% below TX
Van and Spearman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $169,900±$7kHighest 40% below TX $124,000±$55kLowest 56% below TX
Van and Spearman 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 $1,125±$584Lowest 20% below TX
Van and Spearman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,623Highest 38% below TX $2,560Lowest 40% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 39.7%±17.5Lowest TX: 51.7% 62.1%±29.7Highest TX: 51.7%
Spearman and Van 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% 7.7%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 78.4%Lowest TX: 62.6% 82.1%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1981Highest 11 yrs older than TX 1971Lowest 21 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 16% above TX 25 minLowest 7% below TX
Work from home 20.1%±10.5Highest TX: 14.4% 2.3%±2.1Lowest TX: 14.4%
Work in townworking residents 15.2%Lowest 39.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.3 miHighest 12.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.19Highest 0.77Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Tyler (13%)Amarillo (5%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SpearmanFew work in Van
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Lowest 1.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 53.3Lowest 103Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #182 of 583 in TX#65 of 583 in TX
School district VAN ISDSPEARMAN ISD
High school in town Van H SSpearman H S
Students per teacherat that high school 14.9Highest 8.3Lowest
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.

Spearman neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Spearman’s Town Square.

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Texas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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