Compare towns

Delta vs Barnes

Next-door neighbors in Bayfield County. The biggest differences: trails (3× in Barnes) and average commute (14 min in Delta).

Delta, WIAn outdoors townBayfield County · 265 people

Barnes, WIAn outdoors townBayfield County · 854 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.

DeltaAn outdoors town

Outdoors57.2% conserved land44 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves All about Delta →

BarnesAn outdoors town

Outdoors52.7% conserved land129 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves All about Barnes →

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.

Trails3×

Barnes has more miles of trail

Barnes 128.7 miDelta 43.6 mi

Average commute14 min

Delta has the shorter commute

Barnes 42 minDelta 28 min

Size3.2×

Barnes is the bigger place

Barnes 854Delta 265

Street grid+80%

Barnes has the more walkable street grid

Barnes 1.8Delta 1.0

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $250 more a month in Delta

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%

Delta$1,940/mo

Typical home $330K (Census) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $713/mo · Housing →

Barnes$1,690/mo

Typical home $288K (Census) · tax rate 0.75% · Housing →

The difference: $250 a month, about $2,900 a year, between Delta and Barnes.

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

Delta and Barnes share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DeltaBarnes

Delta ↔ Barnes14 miles apart · They share a border · Same county

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

DeltaBarnes

Snow a year74″60″

January low3°F -1°F

July high77°F 79°F

Growing season (days)132d 126d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)4th 27th

Outdoors & history

DeltaBarnes

Trails44 mi 129 mi

Conserved land57.2%52.7%

National Register places—1

Community

DeltaBarnes

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.

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

DeltaBarnes

People

Population 265Lowest 854Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +7% WI: +3.6%

Median age 61.3±3.3Lowest 52% above WI 62.7±2.9Highest 56% above WI

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

Kids under 18 12.8%±8.4Highest WI: 21.4% 7.1%±3.4Lowest WI: 21.4%

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

Age 65+ 37.4%±5.6Lowest WI: 18.5% 45.4%±4.4Highest WI: 18.5%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 37.6%Highest WI: 33.4% 33.5%Lowest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.8%±3.8Lowest WI: 5.8% 3.9%±2.7Highest WI: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $80,469±$11kHighest 4% above WI $74,167±$7kLowest 4% below WI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $330,000±$32kHighest 24% above WI $288,100±$49kLowest 8% above WI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $713±$138 34% below WI —

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,480Highest 35% below WI $2,175Lowest 43% below WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 71.4%±100Highest WI: 43.7% 55.6%±41.4Lowest WI: 43.7%

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

Below poverty line 6.5%Lowest WI: 10.6% 10%Highest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 94.2%Highest WI: 67.8% 91.2%Lowest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1986 11 yrs newer than WI 1986 11 yrs newer than WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 24% above WI 42 minHighest 88% above WI

Work from home 18.3%±9.7Lowest WI: 13.1% 23.2%±6.8Highest WI: 13.1%

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

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 4.6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miLowest 32.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.25Lowest 0.34Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Ashland (22%)Cable (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BarnesFew work in Delta

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 57.2%Highest 52.7%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 43.6 miLowest 128.7 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miLowest 1.0 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 4Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.0Lowest 1.8Highest

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.

Delta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Delta’s Town Square.

Barnes neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Barnes’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Delta

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Iron River1,294 people · $250K homes

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Mason322 people · $238K homes

Towns like Delta

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Oma309 people · $296K homes

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Edgewater442 people · $282K 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.

Delta vs Barnes

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $250 more a month in Delta

Delta and Barnes share a border

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Delta and Barnes

Bordering Delta

Towns like Delta

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