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DeForest vs Burke

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+21.6 pts in DeForest) and street grid (3.1× in DeForest).

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DeForest, WIHomes around $451KWisconsin · 11,501 people
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Burke, WIAn outdoors townDane County · 3,181 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.

DeForestHomes around $451K
Housing$451K typical home33% above the WI typical home HealthHealthier than 87%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#103 most trails in WI5.8 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves All about DeForest →
BurkeAn outdoors town
Outdoors#29 most conserved land in WI10 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 88%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Work2,556 jobsbased in Burke, a regional job hub All about Burke →
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.

Growth since 2010+21.6 pts
DeForest has grown faster since 2010
DeForest +21%Burke -0.6%
Street grid3.1×
DeForest has the more walkable street grid
DeForest 49.2Burke 15.7
Size3.6×
DeForest is the bigger place
DeForest 11,501Burke 3,181
Homeowners+15 pts renters
DeForest has more renters
Burke 92.9%DeForest 77.9%
Average commute7 min
Burke has the shorter commute
DeForest 26 minBurke 19 min
Property tax bill+24%
Tax bills are bigger in DeForest
DeForest $5,747Burke $4,624
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $460 more a month in Burke

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.

DeForest$2,970/mo
Typical home $451K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.60% · or rent about $1,442/mo · Housing →
Burke$3,420/mo
Typical home $544K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.25% · or rent about $1,633/mo · Housing →

The difference: $460 a month, about $5,500 a year, between Burke and DeForest.

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

DeForest and Burke share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

DeForestBurkeDeForestBurke
DeForest ↔ Burke4.2 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
35 Burke residents work in DeForest (2.1% of its workers)
Work & commute in Burke →
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.

Safety
B+DeForestSafer than 70% of U.S. towns –BurkeNot graded
Schools
B−DeForestBetter than 52% of districts in the state –BurkeNot graded
Health
ADeForestHealthier than 87% of U.S. towns ABurkeHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns
7DeForest
7Burke

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Fastest growingGrowth · 358 towns #19#289 Shortest commuteGetting around · 371 towns #295#84 Most conserved landOutdoors · 356 towns #209#29 Most remote workersWork · 363 towns #42#136 Most walkableOutdoors · 371 towns #142#235 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 366 towns #39#115 Most educatedPeople · 371 towns #103#35 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 371 towns #262#197

Left end = #1 in Wisconsin. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of DeForest’s rankings →

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
DeForestBurke
Snow a year43″52″
January low9°F12°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)154d160d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)39th8th
Outdoors & history
DeForestBurke
Trails6 mi10 mi
Conserved land3.3%13.4%
Archive photos—18
Famous people born here—1
Community
DeForestBurke
Library hours a week64 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.

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.

DeForestBurke
People
Population 11,501Highest 3,181Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +21%Highest WI: +3.6% -0.6%Lowest WI: +3.6%
Median age 40.7±2.6Lowest about the WI average 43.8±8.4Highest 9% above WI
Burke and DeForest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.6%±4Highest WI: 21.4% 22.2%±8.1Lowest WI: 21.4%
DeForest and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.6%±3.1Lowest WI: 18.5% 17%±7.4Highest WI: 18.5%
Burke and DeForest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 41.7%Lowest WI: 33.4% 51.9%Highest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5%±1.7Lowest WI: 5.8% 5.2%±4Highest WI: 5.8%
Burke and DeForest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $106,419±$7kHighest 37% above WI $104,025±$22kLowest 34% above WI
DeForest and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $359,600±$18kLowest 35% above WI $368,500±$18kHighest 38% above WI
Burke and DeForest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,442±$143Lowest 33% above WI $1,633±$611Highest 50% above WI
Burke and DeForest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,747Highest 52% above WI $4,624Lowest 22% above WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 29.3%±10.5Lowest WI: 43.7% 48.8%±32.8Highest WI: 43.7%
Burke and DeForest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.7%Highest WI: 10.6% 1%Lowest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 77.9%Lowest WI: 67.8% 92.9%Highest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1993Highest 18 yrs newer than WI 1986Lowest 11 yrs newer than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 18% above WI 19 minLowest 15% below WI
Work from home 20%±3.9Highest WI: 13.1% 13.9%±8.5Lowest WI: 13.1%
DeForest and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 10.3%Highest 1.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miHighest 9.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.08Lowest 1.54Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Madison (41%)Madison (51%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Burke2% work in DeForest
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.3%Lowest 13.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 5.8 miLowest 10.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 19Highest 9Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 49.2Highest 15.7Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #167 of 262 in WI—
School district De Forest Area School District—
High school in town De Forest High—
Students per teacherat that high school 14.2 —
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.

DeForest neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to DeForest’s Town Square.

Burke neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Burke’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside DeForest and Burke

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Bordering DeForest

V
+ Compare
Vienna1,385 people · $457K homes
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Windsor9,452 people · $426K homes

Towns like DeForest

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Washington7,593 people · $367K homes
M
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Mukwonago8,415 people · $366K homes
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McFarland9,160 people · $390K homes
A
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Allouez13,975 people · $235K 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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