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Washington vs Gladstone

196 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (2.8× in Washington) and work in town (+23.7 pts in Washington).

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Washington, MOA history townMissouri · 15,130 people
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Gladstone, MOAn outdoors townMissouri · 27,207 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.

WashingtonA history town
History42 historic places42 places on the National Register Housing$307K typical home15% above the MO typical home Health55% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Washington →
GladstoneAn outdoors town
Outdoors#35 most walkable in MO2.1 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves Schools#102 for schools in MOof 226 towns Health57% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Gladstone →
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.

Jobs per worker2.8×
Washington is more of a job hub
Washington 1.62Gladstone 0.58
Work in town+23.7 pts
More of Washington’s workers stay in town
Washington 28.3%Gladstone 4.6%
Property tax bill+44%
Tax bills are bigger in Gladstone
Gladstone $2,477Washington $1,717
Rent+32%
Rent runs higher in Gladstone
Gladstone $1,088Washington $827
Street grid+65%
Gladstone has the more walkable street grid
Gladstone 109Washington 66.1
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Washington$1,800/mo
Typical home $307K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $827/mo · Housing →
Gladstone$1,660/mo
Typical home $271K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.07% · or rent about $1,088/mo · Housing →

The difference: $140 a month, about $1,700 a year, between Washington and Gladstone.

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

Gladstone places higher on 11 of 23 MO lists

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

Safety
C+WashingtonSafer than 37% of U.S. towns CGladstoneSafer than 27% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+WashingtonBetter than 73% of districts in the state B+GladstoneBetter than 73% of districts in the state
Health
C+WashingtonHealthier than 45% of U.S. towns C+GladstoneHealthier than 43% of U.S. towns
10Washington
11Gladstone

Lists won, of 23 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #17#118 Lowest depressionHealth · 261 towns #152#51 Most walkableOutdoors · 261 towns #122#35 Cheapest rentCost of living · 256 towns #88#170 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #6#62 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 85 towns #60#43 Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #96#53 Best schoolsSchools · 226 towns #58#102

Left end = #1 in Missouri. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Washington’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
WashingtonGladstone
Snow a year8″18″
January low20°F20°F
July high88°F88°F
Growing season (days)199d193d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th35th
Outdoors & history
WashingtonGladstone
Trails2 mi2 mi
Conserved land2.5%4.5%
National Register places421
Archive photos123
Famous people born here132
Community
WashingtonGladstone
Library hours a week68 hrs69 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

196 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WashingtonMOGladstoneMO
Washington ↔ Gladstone196 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.

WashingtonGladstone
People
Population 15,130Lowest 27,207Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.7%Lowest MO: +2.8% +6.5%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 43.1±3Highest 11% above MO 41.9±1.8Lowest 7% above MO
Washington and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.9%±3Highest MO: 22.3% 20.5%±2Lowest MO: 22.3%
Washington and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.1%±2.6Lowest MO: 17.9% 20.5%±1.9Highest MO: 17.9%
Gladstone and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 32.3%Highest MO: 32.4% 31.7%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.3%±1.7Highest MO: 5.7% 2.9%±0.9Lowest MO: 5.7%
Washington and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $79,173±$10kLowest 12% above MO $79,271±$6kHighest 12% above MO
Gladstone and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $231,800±$13kHighest about the MO average $231,500±$10kLowest about the MO average
Washington and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $827±$92Lowest 20% below MO $1,088±$69Highest 5% above MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,717Lowest 12% below MO $2,477Highest 27% above MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.8%±9.2Highest MO: 45.6% 43.1%±7Lowest MO: 45.6%
Washington and Gladstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.9%Lowest MO: 12.6% 11%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 74%Highest MO: 68.1% 68.4%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Highest same as MO 1973Lowest 5 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 10% below MO 23 minHighest about the MO average
Work from home 12.2%±3.5Lowest MO: 13% 14.7%±2.8Highest MO: 13%
Gladstone and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 28.3%Highest 4.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.3 miHighest 9.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.62Highest 0.58Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Union (6%)Kansas City (42%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GladstoneFew work in Washington
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.5%Lowest 4.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.8 miLowest 2.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 11Lowest 13Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 66.1Lowest 109Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #58 of 226 in MO#102 of 226 in MO
School district WASHINGTONDIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE · NORTH KANSAS CITY 74
High school in town Washington High SchoolSTAR School
Students per teacherat that high school 16.1 —
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.

Washington neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Washington’s Town Square.

Gladstone neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 6d

Gladstone Commute Time

1 neighbor in Gladstone can answer.

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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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