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 BJacksonSafer than 64% of U.S. towns

Schools

B+WashingtonBetter than 73% of districts in the state B+JacksonBetter than 74% of districts in the state

Health

C+WashingtonHealthier than 45% of U.S. towns B+JacksonHealthier than 66% of U.S. towns

7Washington

16Jackson

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

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #6#241 Most trailsOutdoors · 151 towns #132#6 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 85 towns #60#23 Lowest obesityHealth · 261 towns #146#40 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #17#97 Lowest depressionHealth · 261 towns #152#51 SafestSafety · 156 towns #80#30 Fastest growingGrowth · 260 towns #99#41

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Washington

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%

Washington$1,800/mo

Typical home $307K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $827/mo · Housing →

Jackson$1,600/mo

Typical home $276K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.68% · or rent about $900/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,400 a year, between Washington and Jackson.

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

WashingtonJackson

Snow a year8″8″

January low20°F 24°F

July high88°F 90°F

Growing season (days)199d 202d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th 76th

Outdoors & history

WashingtonJackson

Trails2 mi 21 mi

Conserved land2.5%2.3%

National Register places42 6

Archive photos12 7

Famous people born here13 13

Community

WashingtonJackson

Library hours a week68 hrs 57 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

110 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WashingtonMO JacksonMO

Washington ↔ Jackson110 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

WashingtonJackson

People

Population 15,130Lowest 15,659Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.7%Lowest MO: +2.8% +12.5%Highest MO: +2.8%

Median age 43.1±3Highest 11% above MO 37.1±2.1Lowest 5% below MO

Kids under 18 20.9%±3Lowest MO: 22.3% 24.7%±3Highest MO: 22.3%

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

Age 65+ 20.1%±2.6Highest MO: 17.9% 17.2%±2.4Lowest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 32.3%Lowest MO: 32.4% 35.8%Highest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.3%±1.7Lowest MO: 5.7% 5.2%±1.7Highest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $79,173±$10kHighest 12% above MO $77,105±$7kLowest 9% above MO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $231,800±$13kLowest about the MO average $240,000±$18kHighest 4% above MO

Jackson and Washington 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 $900±$114Highest 13% below MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,717Highest 12% below MO $1,622Lowest 17% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.8%±9.2Highest MO: 45.6% 37.2%±10.2Lowest MO: 45.6%

Washington and Jackson 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% 8.6%Highest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 74%Highest MO: 68.1% 71.1%Lowest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1978Lowest same as MO 1991Highest 13 yrs newer than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 21 minHighest 10% below MO 20 minLowest 14% below MO

Work from home 12.2%±3.5Lowest MO: 13% 12.4%±3.8Highest MO: 13%

Jackson 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 19.3%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.3 miHighest 9.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.62Highest 0.81Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Union (6%)Cape Girardeau (31%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in JacksonFew work in Washington

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.5%Highest 2.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 1.8 miLowest 20.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 1.9 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 11Highest 4Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 66.1Lowest 67.1Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #58 of 226 in MO #80 of 226 in MO

School district WASHINGTONJACKSON R-II

High school in town Washington High SchoolJackson SR. High

Students per teacherat that high school 16.1Lowest 16.8Highest

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.

Jackson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jackson’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Washington

+ Compare

Gladstone27,207 people · $232K homes

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Kearney10,885 people · $298K homes

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Arnold20,956 people · $220K homes

+ Compare

Raymore24,526 people · $339K 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.

Washington vs Jackson

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Jackson places higher on 16 of 23 MO lists

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Washington

What daily life feels like in each

110 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Washington and Jackson

Towns like Washington

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