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%

Downing$1,820/mo

Typical home $298K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.01% · or rent about $775/mo · Housing →

Alvin$1,070/mo

Typical home $183K (Census) · tax rate 0.73% · Housing →

The difference: $750 a month, about $9,000 a year, between Downing and Alvin.

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

DowningAlvin

Snow a year41″67″

January low5°F 0°F

July high82°F 77°F

Growing season (days)143d 95d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)49th 18th

Outdoors & history

DowningAlvin

Trails—83 mi

Conserved land—79.1%

Archive photos—9

Community

DowningAlvin

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

172 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DowningWI AlvinForest County

Downing ↔ Alvin172 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

DowningAlvin

People

Population 271Highest 238Lowest

Median age 40.7±4Lowest about the WI average 42.8±18Highest 6% above WI

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

Kids under 18 28%±6.6Lowest WI: 21.4% 37%±16.9Highest WI: 21.4%

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

Age 65+ 10.7%±7.2Lowest WI: 18.5% 23.5%±14.9Highest WI: 18.5%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.1%Lowest WI: 33.4% 15.3%Highest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.1%±4Highest WI: 5.8% 0%±5.9Lowest WI: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $61,875±$17kHighest 20% below WI $49,375±$39kLowest 36% below WI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $168,300±$26kLowest 37% below WI $182,500±$79kHighest 32% below WI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $775±$226 29% below WI —

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,708Highest 55% below WI $1,325Lowest 65% below WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 21.4%±100Highest WI: 43.7% 0%±100Lowest WI: 43.7%

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

Below poverty line 6.3%Lowest WI: 10.6% 17.2%Highest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 81.8%Highest WI: 67.8% 80.7%Lowest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1964Lowest 11 yrs older than WI 1981Highest 6 yrs newer than WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 28% above WI 21 minLowest 7% below WI

Work from home 5.2%±3.5Lowest WI: 13.1% 24.6%±14.4Highest WI: 13.1%

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 1.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miLowest 31.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.27Highest 0.24Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Menomonie (27%)Lincoln (18%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AlvinFew work in Downing

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 79.1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 83.3 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.7 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 2Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 8.2Highest 0.7Lowest

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.

Downing neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Downing’s Town Square.

Alvin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alvin’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Downing and Alvin

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

Bordering Downing

+ Compare

Tiffany547 people · $262K homes

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Stanton865 people · $266K homes

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Glenwood805 people · $340K homes

Towns like Downing

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Haugen284 people · $144K homes

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Friesland297 people · $151K homes

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Gilmanton355 people · $238K homes

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Scandinavia379 people · $166K 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.

Downing vs Alvin

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $750 more a month in Downing

What daily life feels like in each

172 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Downing and Alvin

Bordering Downing

Towns like Downing

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