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Compare towns

Dodge vs Wolf River

157 miles apart. The biggest differences: conserved land (+53.3 pts in Wolf River) and seasonal homes (+52.5 pts in Wolf River).

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Dodge, WIA small town of 503Trempealeau County · 503 people
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Wolf River, WIAn outdoors townLanglade County · 738 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.

DodgeA small town of 503
Quiet strengthsDodge doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Dodge →
Wolf RiverAn outdoors town
Outdoors55.4% conserved land160 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Wolf River →
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.

Conserved land+53.3 pts
Wolf River has more conserved land
Wolf River 55.4%Dodge 2.1%
Seasonal homes+52.5 pts
Wolf River has more second homes
Wolf River 54.1%Dodge 1.6%
Average commute12 min
Dodge has the shorter commute
Wolf River 40 minDodge 29 min
Property tax bill+41%
Tax bills are bigger in Dodge
Dodge $3,262Wolf River $2,307
Typical home built16 yrs
Dodge’s homes are older
Wolf River 1980Dodge 1964
★ What stands out · 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.

Dodge$1,240/mo
Typical home $185K (Census) · tax rate 1.76% · or rent about $796/mo · Housing →
Wolf River$1,210/mo
Typical home $193K (Census) · tax rate 1.19% · or rent about $763/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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.

Health
–DodgeNot graded BWolf RiverHealthier than 64% 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
DodgeWolf River
Snow a year42″55″
January low8°F—
July high84°F—
Growing season (days)152d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)56th18th
Outdoors & history
DodgeWolf River
Trails0 mi160 mi
Conserved land2.1%55.4%
Archive photos4—
Community
DodgeWolf River
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

157 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DodgeTrempealeau CountyWolf RiverLanglade County
Dodge ↔ Wolf River157 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.

DodgeWolf River
People
Population 503Lowest 738Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +7.1% WI: +3.6%
Median age 62.8±10.8Highest 56% above WI 61.1±4.4Lowest 52% above WI
Dodge and Wolf River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.1%±5.9Highest WI: 21.4% 18%±5.9Lowest WI: 21.4%
Dodge and Wolf River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 47.3%±16Highest WI: 18.5% 38.2%±6.8Lowest WI: 18.5%
Dodge and Wolf River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.8%Lowest WI: 33.4% 17.7%Highest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1%±1.2Highest WI: 5.8% 0.3%±1.4Lowest WI: 5.8%
Dodge and Wolf River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $53,209±$7kHighest 31% below WI $47,500±$15kLowest 39% below WI
Dodge and Wolf River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $185,400±$9kLowest 30% below WI $193,200±$32kHighest 28% below WI
Wolf River and Dodge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $796±$141Highest 27% below WI $763±$60Lowest 30% below WI
Dodge and Wolf River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,262Highest 14% below WI $2,307Lowest 39% below WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 88.9%±55.8Highest WI: 43.7% 0%±100Lowest WI: 43.7%
Dodge and Wolf River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 16.5%Highest WI: 10.6% 15.7%Lowest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 86.7%Highest WI: 67.8% 82.5%Lowest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1964Lowest 11 yrs older than WI 1980Highest 5 yrs newer than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minLowest 29% above WI 40 minHighest 82% above WI
Work from home 14.2%±8.7Highest WI: 13.1% 13.5%±6.4Lowest WI: 13.1%
Dodge and Wolf River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.5%Lowest 3.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.8 miLowest 30.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.09Lowest 0.13Highest
Top workplaceoutside town La Crosse (16%)Antigo (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Wolf RiverFew work in Dodge
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.1%Lowest 55.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 160.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.3Highest 1.1Lowest
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.

Dodge neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dodge’s Town Square.

Wolf River neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wolf River’s Town Square.

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Bordering Dodge

B
+ Compare
Buffalo725 people · $194K homes
C
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Cross437 people · $292K homes
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Trempealeau1,929 people · $305K homes
A
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Arcadia1,662 people · $267K homes

Towns like Dodge

M
+ Compare
Monroe418 people · $210K homes
F
+ Compare
Freeman596 people · $207K homes
F
+ Compare
Flambeau474 people · $176K homes
S
+ Compare
Silver Cliff528 people · $229K 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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