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

CWaynesvilleSafer than 29% of U.S. towns B+WillardSafer than 67% of U.S. towns

Schools

B+WaynesvilleBetter than 69% of districts in the state A−WillardBetter than 79% of districts in the state

Health

BWaynesvilleHealthier than 59% of U.S. towns BWillardHealthier than 62% of U.S. towns

6Waynesville

14Willard

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 216 towns #165#6 SafestSafety · 156 towns #90#25 Most remote workersWork · 255 towns #158#64 Highest incomeIncome · 261 towns #149#59 Shortest commuteGetting around · 261 towns #78#160 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #172#245 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #77#33 Lowest property taxCost of living · 259 towns #103#152

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $160 more a month in Willard

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%

Waynesville$1,450/mo

Typical home $251K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $1,152/mo · Housing →

Willard$1,620/mo

Typical home $274K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.80% · or rent about $984/mo · Housing →

The difference: $160 a month, about $2,000 a year, between Willard and Waynesville.

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

WaynesvilleWillard

Snow a year10″14″

January low22°F 24°F

July high89°F 90°F

Growing season (days)185d 199d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)66th 44th

Outdoors & history

WaynesvilleWillard

Trails1 mi 0 mi

Conserved land1%1%

Settled1839 1884

National Register places2 —

Archive photos6 —

Famous people born here7 2

Community

WaynesvilleWillard

Library hours a week50 hrs 48 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

75 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WaynesvilleMO WillardMO

Waynesville ↔ Willard75 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

WaynesvilleWillard

People

Population 5,442Lowest 6,488Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +11.9%Lowest MO: +2.8% +20%Highest MO: +2.8%

Median age 32.4±6.9Highest 17% below MO 32.2±5.9Lowest 17% below MO

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

Kids under 18 26.2%±7Lowest MO: 22.3% 32.8%±6.5Highest MO: 22.3%

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

Age 65+ 17.2%±5.4Highest MO: 17.9% 10.3%±2.5Lowest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 32%Lowest MO: 32.4% 33.1%Highest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.8%±3Highest MO: 5.7% 2.2%±1.5Lowest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $56,836±$34kLowest 20% below MO $84,600±$11kHighest 20% above MO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $200,000±$46kLowest 13% below MO $212,900±$19kHighest 8% below MO

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,152±$312Highest 12% above MO $984±$170Lowest 5% below MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,300Lowest 33% below MO $1,713Highest 12% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40.4%±19Highest MO: 45.6% 27.3%±12.9Lowest MO: 45.6%

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

Below poverty line 16.5%Highest MO: 12.6% 9.7%Lowest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 62.9%Lowest MO: 68.1% 70.2%Highest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1985Lowest 7 yrs newer than MO 1998Highest 20 yrs newer than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 19% below MO 23 minHighest about the MO average

Work from home 7%±5.2Lowest MO: 13% 14.7%±5.5Highest MO: 13%

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

Work in townworking residents 16.6%Highest 7.5%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.3 miHighest 11.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.53Highest 0.47Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Fort Leonard Wood (15%)Springfield (58%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WillardFew work in Waynesville

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1% 1%

Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 3Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 40.2Lowest 46.7Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #81 of 226 in MO #83 of 226 in MO

School district WAYNESVILLE R-VIWILLARD R-II

High school in town Waynesville SR. HighWillard High

Students per teacherat that high school 17.5Highest 15.7Lowest

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.

Waynesville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Waynesville’s Town Square.

Willard neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Willard’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Waynesville and Willard

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Bordering Waynesville

+ Compare

St. Robert5,356 people · $225K homes

Towns like Waynesville

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Rogersville4,908 people · $218K homes

+ Compare

Knob Noster2,838 people · $203K homes

+ Compare

Clever3,030 people · $200K homes

+ Compare

Savannah5,053 people · $162K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Missouri 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.

Waynesville vs Willard

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Willard places higher on 14 of 21 MO lists

A typical home costs $160 more a month in Willard

What daily life feels like in each

75 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Waynesville and Willard

Bordering Waynesville

Towns like Waynesville

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