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%

Alvin$1,070/mo

Typical home $183K (Census) · tax rate 0.73% · Housing →

Downing$1,820/mo

Typical home $298K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.01% · or rent about $775/mo · Housing →

The difference: $750 a month, about $9,000 a year, between Downing and Alvin.

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

AlvinDowning

Snow a year67″41″

January low0°F 5°F

July high77°F 82°F

Growing season (days)95d 143d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)18th 49th

Outdoors & history

AlvinDowning

Trails83 mi —

Conserved land79.1%—

Archive photos9 —

Community

AlvinDowning

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

172 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AlvinForest County DowningWI

Alvin ↔ Downing172 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 Wisconsin average

AlvinDowning

People

Population 238Lowest 271Highest

Median age 42.8±18Highest 6% above WI 40.7±4Lowest about the WI average

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

Kids under 18 37%±16.9Highest WI: 21.4% 28%±6.6Lowest WI: 21.4%

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

Age 65+ 23.5%±14.9Highest WI: 18.5% 10.7%±7.2Lowest WI: 18.5%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.3%Highest WI: 33.4% 13.1%Lowest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±5.9Lowest WI: 5.8% 1.1%±4Highest WI: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $49,375±$39kLowest 36% below WI $61,875±$17kHighest 20% below WI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $182,500±$79kHighest 32% below WI $168,300±$26kLowest 37% below WI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly — $775±$226 29% below WI

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,325Lowest 65% below WI $1,708Highest 55% below WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100Lowest WI: 43.7% 21.4%±100Highest WI: 43.7%

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

Below poverty line 17.2%Highest WI: 10.6% 6.3%Lowest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 80.7%Lowest WI: 67.8% 81.8%Highest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1981Highest 6 yrs newer than WI 1964Lowest 11 yrs older than WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 7% below WI 28 minHighest 28% above WI

Work from home 24.6%±14.4Highest WI: 13.1% 5.2%±3.5Lowest WI: 13.1%

Work in townworking residents 1.5%Highest 0%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 31.3 miHighest 17.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.24Lowest 0.27Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Lincoln (18%)Menomonie (27%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DowningFew work in Alvin

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 79.1%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 83.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.7Lowest 8.2Highest

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.

Alvin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alvin’s Town Square.

Downing neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Downing’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Alvin and Downing

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Alvin

+ Compare

Stambaugh Township, MI1,223 people · $188K homes

+ Compare

Tipler285 people · $112K homes

+ Compare

Popple River32 people · $206K homes

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Hiles440 people · $227K homes

Towns like Alvin

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Sherwood238 people · $173K homes

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True189 people · $165K homes

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Cloverland199 people · $213K homes

+ Compare

Haney291 people · $159K homes

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.

Alvin vs Downing

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $750 more a month in Downing

What daily life feels like in each

172 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Alvin and Downing

Bordering Alvin

Towns like Alvin

Post to Alvin

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