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Compare towns

Barre vs Hamilton

Next-door neighbors in La Crosse County. The biggest differences: seasonal homes (+9.4 pts in Hamilton).

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Barre, WIOne of the healthiest townsLa Crosse County · 1,363 people
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Hamilton, WIOne of the healthiest townsLa Crosse County · 2,668 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.

BarreOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 63%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Barre →
HamiltonOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 76%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Hamilton →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Seasonal homes+9.4 pts
Hamilton has more second homes
Hamilton 9.4%Barre 0%
★ What stands out · Where they are

Barre and Hamilton share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BarreHamiltonBarreHamilton
Barre ↔ Hamilton6.8 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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.

Health
BBarreHealthier than 63% of U.S. towns A−HamiltonHealthier than 76% 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.

Barre$2,390/mo
Typical home $384K (Census) · tax rate 1.16% · or rent about $1,292/mo · Housing →
Hamilton$2,320/mo
Typical home $369K (Census) · tax rate 1.25% · or rent about $1,207/mo · Housing →

The difference: $70 a month, about $800 a year, between Barre and Hamilton.

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
BarreHamilton
Snow a year43″43″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)50th23rd
Outdoors & history
BarreHamilton
Trails5 mi4 mi
Conserved land8.7%1.7%
Archive photos15
Community
BarreHamilton
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.

BarreHamilton
People
Population 1,363Lowest 2,668Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.7%Highest WI: +3.6% -0.3%Lowest WI: +3.6%
Median age 37.1±3Lowest 8% below WI 42.6±3.8Highest 6% above WI
Hamilton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 33.7%±6.2Highest WI: 21.4% 25.1%±4.1Lowest WI: 21.4%
Barre and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.4%±2.3Lowest WI: 18.5% 17.8%±4.1Highest WI: 18.5%
Hamilton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 38.4%Highest WI: 33.4% 37.6%Lowest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±1.4Lowest WI: 5.8% 3.9%±2.3Highest WI: 5.8%
Hamilton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $105,956±$6kLowest 37% above WI $112,500±$7kHighest 45% above WI
Hamilton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $384,400±$65kHighest 44% above WI $368,800±$24kLowest 38% above WI
Barre and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,292±$573Highest 19% above WI $1,207±$155Lowest 11% above WI
Barre and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,457Lowest 18% above WI $4,604Highest 21% above WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.9%±30.9Highest WI: 43.7% 6.5%±25.5Lowest WI: 43.7%
Barre and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.3%Highest WI: 10.6% 2.4%Lowest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 84.6%Lowest WI: 67.8% 90.8%Highest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1982Lowest 7 yrs newer than WI 1991Highest 16 yrs newer than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 9% below WI 21 minHighest 4% below WI
Work from home 10.2%±4.9Lowest WI: 13.1% 10.3%±3.1Highest WI: 13.1%
Hamilton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.5%Lowest 0.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 7.3 miLowest 9.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.21Highest 0.18Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town La Crosse (47%)La Crosse (37%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HamiltonFew work in Barre
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 8.7%Highest 1.7%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 5.4 miHighest 4.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 5Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.9Lowest 2.2Highest
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.

Barre neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Barre’s Town Square.

Hamilton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hamilton’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Barre and Hamilton

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

Bordering Barre

M
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Medary1,514 people · $356K homes
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Greenfield2,169 people · $280K homes
B
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Bangor527 people · $392K homes

Towns like Barre

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Barneveld1,416 people · $285K homes
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Blooming Grove1,508 people · $307K homes
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Kaukauna1,574 people · $435K homes
B
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Brooklyn1,408 people · $269K 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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