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Bruce vs Plainfield

123 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.3× in Plainfield) and property tax bill (+41% in Plainfield).

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Bruce, WIKnown for its schoolsWisconsin · 900 people

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Plainfield, WIKnown for its schoolsWisconsin · 1,094 people

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.

BruceKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 23%of WI districts Housing$222K typical home35% below the WI typical home All about Bruce →

PlainfieldKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 8%of WI districts Health74% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$243K typical home28% below the WI typical home All about Plainfield →

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.

Street grid2.3×

Plainfield has the more walkable street grid

Plainfield 51.5Bruce 22.1

Property tax bill+41%

Tax bills are bigger in Plainfield

Plainfield $1,641Bruce $1,162

Average commute8 min

Plainfield has the shorter commute

Bruce 34 minPlainfield 26 min

Jobs per worker+95%

Bruce is more of a job hub

Bruce 1.44Plainfield 0.74

Growth since 2010+6.9 pts

Plainfield has grown faster since 2010

Plainfield +7.2%Bruce +0.3%

Typical home built18 yrs

Plainfield’s homes are older

Bruce 1966Plainfield 1948

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $190 more a month in Plainfield

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%

Bruce$1,410/mo

Typical home $222K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.33% · or rent about $625/mo · Housing →

Plainfield$1,600/mo

Typical home $243K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.60% · or rent about $741/mo · Housing →

The difference: $190 a month, about $2,300 a year, between Plainfield and Bruce.

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.

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

C−BruceBetter than 23% of districts in the state DPlainfieldBetter than 8% of districts in the state

Health

–BruceNot graded CPlainfieldHealthier than 26% 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

BrucePlainfield

Snow a year52″43″

January low2°F 7°F

July high79°F 82°F

Growing season (days)117d 146d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)70th 43rd

Outdoors & history

BrucePlainfield

Trails1 mi 1 mi

Conserved land1.1%0%

Settled1901 —

Archive photos5 3

Famous people born here1 —

Community

BrucePlainfield

Library hours a week39 hrs 35 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

123 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BruceWI PlainfieldWI

Bruce ↔ Plainfield123 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

BrucePlainfield

People

Population 900Lowest 1,094Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.3%Lowest WI: +3.6% +7.2%Highest WI: +3.6%

Median age 31.8±1.8Lowest 21% below WI 33.3±5.4Highest 17% below WI

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

Kids under 18 29.2%±4Highest WI: 21.4% 26.8%±5.1Lowest WI: 21.4%

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

Age 65+ 14.3%±2.2Lowest WI: 18.5% 17.5%±5.5Highest WI: 18.5%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 7.2% WI: 33.4% 7.2% WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±2.8Lowest WI: 5.8% 6.2%±2Highest WI: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $52,667±$8kLowest 32% below WI $60,375±$19kHighest 22% below WI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $87,100±$30kLowest 67% below WI $102,300±$14kHighest 62% below WI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $625±$169Lowest 43% below WI $741±$85Highest 32% below WI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,162Lowest 69% below WI $1,641Highest 57% below WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34%±11.2Lowest WI: 43.7% 40%±19.5Highest WI: 43.7%

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

Below poverty line 16.9%Highest WI: 10.6% 12.2%Lowest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 68%Lowest WI: 67.8% 76.9%Highest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1966Highest 9 yrs older than WI 1948Lowest 27 yrs older than WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 34 minHighest 55% above WI 26 minLowest 18% above WI

Work from home 8%±4.4Highest WI: 13.1% 5.8%±3.1Lowest WI: 13.1%

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

Work in townworking residents 10.5%Highest 4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 36.8 miHighest 22.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.44Highest 0.74Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Ladysmith (11%)Wild Rose (6%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PlainfieldFew work in Bruce

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.1%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.6 mi 0.6 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.4 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 22.1Lowest 51.5Highest

Schools

School district Bruce School DistrictTri-County Area School District

High school in town Bruce HighTri-County High

Students per teacherat that high school 9.8Lowest 11.1Highest

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.

Bruce neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bruce’s Town Square.

Plainfield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Plainfield’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Bruce and Plainfield

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

Bordering Bruce

Stubbs508 people · $178K homes

Thornapple659 people · $181K homes

Atlanta571 people · $175K homes

Towns like Bruce

Norwalk662 people · $97K homes

Owen920 people · $141K homes

Dorchester879 people · $156K homes

Wauzeka591 people · $143K 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.