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Compare towns

West vs Junction

183 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (10× in Junction) and conserved land (+98.3 pts in West).

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West, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 2,576 people
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Junction, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 2,475 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.

WestKnown for its schools
Schools#168 for schools in TXof 583 towns Housing$300K typical home0% above the TX typical home Health59% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about West →
JunctionOne of the healthiest towns
Health85% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SafetySafer than 84%of U.S. towns we grade SchoolsBetter than 27%of TX districts All about Junction →
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.

Trails10×
Junction has more miles of trail
Junction 4.0 miWest 0.4 mi
Conserved land+98.3 pts
West has more conserved land
West 100%Junction 1.7%
Property tax bill+55%
Tax bills are bigger in West
West $2,902Junction $1,878
Work in town+25.4 pts
More of Junction’s workers stay in town
Junction 43.7%West 18.3%
Growth since 2010+5 pts
Junction has grown faster since 2010
Junction -4.8%West -9.8%
Average commute4 min
Junction has the shorter commute
West 23 minJunction 19 min
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

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
A−WestSafer than 78% of U.S. towns A−JunctionSafer than 84% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−WestBetter than 78% of districts in the state CJunctionBetter than 27% of districts in the state
Health
C+WestHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns C−JunctionHealthier than 15% of U.S. towns
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.

West$1,970/mo
Typical home $300K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.59% · or rent about $1,002/mo · Housing →
Junction$1,950/mo
Typical home $310K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.24% · or rent about $734/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
WestJunction
Snow a year0″0″
January low—30°F
July high—96°F
Growing season (days)—202d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)2nd73rd
Outdoors & history
WestJunction
Trails—4 mi
Conserved land—1.7%
Settled1892—
National Register places—2
Community
WestJunction
Library hours a week20 hrs42 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

183 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WestTXJunctionTX
West ↔ Junction183 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.

WestJunction
People
Population 2,576Highest 2,475Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -9.8%Lowest TX: +15.9% -4.8%Highest TX: +15.9%
Median age 39.7±4.7Lowest 12% above TX 40.1±4.2Highest 13% above TX
Junction and West are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.4%±9.8Highest TX: 25% 21.1%±4.6Lowest TX: 25%
West and Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.3%±4.5Lowest TX: 13.4% 21%±4.4Highest TX: 13.4%
Junction and West are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.4%Lowest TX: 33.8% 20.5%Highest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.3%±2.3Highest TX: 6.2% 2.6%±2Lowest TX: 6.2%
West and Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $61,875±$10kHighest 21% below TX $49,041±$17kLowest 38% below TX
West and Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $182,900±$44kHighest 36% below TX $151,900±$26kLowest 46% below TX
West and Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,002±$376Highest 29% below TX $734±$234Lowest 48% below TX
West and Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,902Highest 31% below TX $1,878Lowest 56% below TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 66.9%±41.7Highest TX: 51.7% 36.9%±8.4Lowest TX: 51.7%
West and Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.9%Lowest TX: 13.8% 15.7%Highest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 64.1%Lowest TX: 62.6% 68.7%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1964Lowest 28 yrs older than TX 1970Highest 22 yrs older than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minHighest 14% below TX 19 minLowest 30% below TX
Work from home 10.3%±5.7Highest TX: 14.4% 4.8%±4Lowest TX: 14.4%
West and Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 18.3%Lowest 43.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miHighest 8.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.98Highest 0.84Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Waco (25%)Kerrville (3%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in JunctionFew work in West
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 100%Highest 1.7%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miLowest 4.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 1.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 100Lowest 105Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #168 of 583 in TX—
School district WEST ISDJUNCTION ISD
High school in town West H SJunction H S
Students per teacherat that high school 10.8Highest 9.5Lowest
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.

West neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to West’s Town Square.

Junction neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Junction’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside West and Junction

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Towns like West

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Goldthwaite1,843 people · $128K 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.

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