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Compare towns

Ackley vs Pine River

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (33.4× in Ackley) and street grid (3.6× in Pine River).

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Ackley, WIAn outdoors townLanglade County · 459 people
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Pine River, WIOne of the healthiest townsLincoln County · 1,734 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.

AckleyAn outdoors town
Outdoors51.8% conserved land54 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Ackley →
Pine RiverOne of the healthiest towns
Health66% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Pine River →
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.

Trails33.4×
Ackley has more miles of trail
Ackley 53.5 miPine River 1.6 mi
Street grid3.6×
Pine River has the more walkable street grid
Pine River 1.8Ackley 0.5
Conserved land+51.8 pts
Ackley has more conserved land
Ackley 51.8%Pine River 0%
Home values+58%
Homes cost more in Pine River
Pine River $280,000Ackley $176,800
Property tax bill+51%
Tax bills are bigger in Pine River
Pine River $2,995Ackley $1,983
Household income+37%
Households in Pine River earn more
Pine River $109,722Ackley $80,000
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $630 more a month in Pine River

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.

Ackley$1,090/mo
Typical home $177K (Census) · tax rate 1.12% · or rent about $938/mo · Housing →
Pine River$1,720/mo
Typical home $280K (Census) · tax rate 1.07% · or rent about $758/mo · Housing →

The difference: $630 a month, about $7,500 a year, between Pine River and Ackley.

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.

Where they are

Ackley and Pine River share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AckleyPine RiverAckleyPine River
Ackley ↔ Pine River9.8 miles apart · They share a border
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

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

Schools
–AckleyNot graded C+Pine RiverBetter than 40% of districts in the state
Health
–AckleyNot graded CPine RiverHealthier than 34% of U.S. towns
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
AckleyPine River
Snow a year54″54″
January low4°F3°F
July high78°F80°F
Growing season (days)139d139d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)25th34th
Outdoors & history
AckleyPine River
Trails54 mi2 mi
Conserved land51.8%0%
Settled1879—
Archive photos13
Community
AckleyPine River
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.

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.

AckleyPine River
People
Population 459Lowest 1,734Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -10.9%Lowest WI: +3.6% +0.3%Highest WI: +3.6%
Median age 41.1±9.8Lowest about the WI average 49.8±6.4Highest 24% above WI
Pine River and Ackley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.9%±6.7Highest WI: 21.4% 17.2%±3.1Lowest WI: 21.4%
Ackley and Pine River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.4%±6.4Lowest WI: 18.5% 18.9%±2.2Highest WI: 18.5%
Pine River and Ackley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.6%Lowest WI: 33.4% 30.9%Highest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.1%±1Lowest WI: 5.8% 5.9%±2.2Highest WI: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $80,000±$13kLowest 3% above WI $109,722±$9kHighest 42% above WI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $176,800±$17kLowest 34% below WI $280,000±$24kHighest 5% above WI
Rentmedian gross, monthly $938±$66Highest 14% below WI $758±$209Lowest 30% below WI
Ackley and Pine River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,983Lowest 48% below WI $2,995Highest 21% below WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 12%±57.6Lowest WI: 43.7% 30.4%±63Highest WI: 43.7%
Pine River and Ackley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 0.7%Lowest WI: 10.6% 3.7%Highest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 79.2%Lowest WI: 67.8% 93.3%Highest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1963Lowest 12 yrs older than WI 1992Highest 17 yrs newer than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 25% below WI 22 minHighest about the WI average
Work from home 6.1%±3.6Lowest WI: 13.1% 14.4%±5.4Highest WI: 13.1%
Pine River and Ackley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.4%Lowest 1.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.3 miHighest 16.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.26Highest 0.18Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Antigo (35%)Merrill (26%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Pine RiverFew work in Ackley
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 51.8%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 53.5 miHighest 1.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.5Lowest 1.8Highest
Schools
School district —Merrill Area School District
High school in town —None in town
Wisconsin 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.

Ackley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ackley’s Town Square.

Pine River neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pine River’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Ackley

+ Compare
Antigo8,069 people · $105K homes
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Peck333 people · $224K homes
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Vilas192 people · $200K homes
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Antigo1,384 people · $194K homes

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Wisconsin 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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