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Colfax vs Iola

132 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+6.1 pts in Colfax) and typical home built (18 yrs in Colfax).

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Colfax, WIKnown for its schoolsWisconsin · 1,370 people
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Iola, WIKnown for its schoolsWisconsin · 1,286 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.

ColfaxKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 71%of WI districts HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Colfax →
IolaKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 35%of WI districts All about Iola →
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.

Growth since 2010+6.1 pts
Colfax has grown faster since 2010
Colfax +2.1%Iola -4%
Typical home built18 yrs
Colfax’s homes are older
Iola 1977Colfax 1959
Average commute5 min
Iola has the shorter commute
Colfax 26 minIola 21 min
★ What stands out · 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
B+ColfaxBetter than 71% of districts in the state C+IolaBetter than 35% of districts in the state
Health
BColfaxHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns C+IolaHealthier than 45% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Colfax

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.

Colfax$2,180/mo
Typical home $328K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.68% · or rent about $698/mo · Housing →
Iola$1,980/mo
Typical home $292K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.86% · or rent about $766/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,300 a year, between Colfax and Iola.

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
ColfaxIola
Snow a year41″49″
January low5°F8°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)143d151d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)75th20th
Outdoors & history
ColfaxIola
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land0%0.3%
National Register places11
Archive photos67
Famous people born here25
Community
ColfaxIola
Library hours a week39 hrs44 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

132 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColfaxWIIolaWI
Colfax ↔ Iola132 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.

ColfaxIola
People
Population 1,370Highest 1,286Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.1%Highest WI: +3.6% -4%Lowest WI: +3.6%
Median age 40±6.3Lowest about the WI average 40.4±5.6Highest about the WI average
Iola and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.1%±2.4Lowest WI: 21.4% 21.1%±3.2Highest WI: 21.4%
Iola and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.8%±8.1Highest WI: 18.5% 21.3%±6.3Lowest WI: 18.5%
Colfax and Iola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.7%Lowest WI: 33.4% 17.2%Highest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.1%±2.1Lowest WI: 5.8% 4.5%±3.3Highest WI: 5.8%
Iola and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $61,762±$9kHighest 20% below WI $44,735±$12kLowest 42% below WI
Colfax and Iola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $173,500±$19kHighest 35% below WI $164,200±$15kLowest 38% below WI
Colfax and Iola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $698±$314Lowest 36% below WI $766±$63Highest 30% below WI
Iola and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,917Lowest 23% below WI $3,050Highest 20% below WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 16.4%±2.2Lowest WI: 43.7% 53.6%±8.9Highest WI: 43.7%
Below poverty line 12.3%Lowest WI: 10.6% 13.7%Highest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 44.6%Lowest WI: 67.8% 52.4%Highest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1959Lowest 16 yrs older than WI 1977Highest 2 yrs newer than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 15% above WI 21 minLowest 7% below WI
Work from home 4.5%±2.5Lowest WI: 13.1% 5.3%±2.4Highest WI: 13.1%
Iola and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 7.5%Lowest 12.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miLowest 20.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.94Highest 0.77Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Menomonie (26%)Waupaca (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in IolaFew work in Colfax
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 50.3Highest 49.1Lowest
Schools
School district Colfax School DistrictIola-Scandinavia School District
High school in town Colfax HighIola-Scandinavia High
Students per teacherat that high school 12.9Highest 12.6Lowest
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.

Colfax neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colfax’s Town Square.

Iola neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Iola’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Colfax and Iola

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Towns like Colfax

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Fox Lake1,780 people · $175K homes
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Sullivan663 people · $257K 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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