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%

Hansen$1,540/mo

Typical home $241K (Census) · tax rate 1.35% · or rent about $1,083/mo · Housing →

Vesper$1,600/mo

Typical home $246K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.52% · or rent about $621/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $800 a year, between Vesper and Hansen.

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

HansenVesper

Snow a year48″48″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)51st 51st

Outdoors & history

HansenVesper

Trails2 mi 1 mi

Conserved land0.9%0%

Community

HansenVesper

Library hours a week—30 hrs

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

HansenVesper

People

Population 801Highest 496Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.3%Highest WI: +3.6% -12.2%Lowest WI: +3.6%

Median age 46±4.4Lowest 14% above WI 50±15Highest 24% above WI

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

Kids under 18 24.2%±4.8Highest WI: 21.4% 18.3%±2.8Lowest WI: 21.4%

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

Age 65+ 15.5%±3.5Lowest WI: 18.5% 31.5%±18.1Highest WI: 18.5%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.2%Highest WI: 33.4% 10.6%Lowest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.1%±2.5Highest WI: 5.8% 2.2%±1.4Lowest WI: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $94,167±$32kHighest 22% above WI $61,149±$3kLowest 21% below WI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $241,000±$16kHighest 10% below WI $120,700±$22kLowest 55% below WI

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,083±$524Highest about the WI average $621±$39Lowest 43% below WI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,257Highest 14% below WI $1,839Lowest 52% below WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 30%±100Lowest WI: 43.7% 31.1%±26.7Highest WI: 43.7%

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

Below poverty line 6.4%Lowest WI: 10.6% 8%Highest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 92.9%Highest WI: 67.8% 82.8%Lowest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1981Highest 6 yrs newer than WI 1958Lowest 17 yrs older than WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 21% above WI 24 minLowest 9% above WI

Work from home 14.8%±8.7Highest WI: 13.1% 4.9%±4.3Lowest WI: 13.1%

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

Work in townworking residents 1%Lowest 1.9%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 miLowest 17.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.07Lowest 0.61Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Wisconsin Rapids (24%)Wisconsin Rapids (23%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in VesperFew work in Hansen

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.9%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 1.8 miHighest 0.5 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.5 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.1Lowest 36.6Highest

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.

Hansen neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hansen’s Town Square.

Vesper neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Vesper’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Hansen and Vesper

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

Bordering Hansen

+ Compare

Sigel1,059 people · $210K homes

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Seneca881 people · $221K homes

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Arpin970 people · $217K homes

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Wood699 people · $235K homes

Towns like Hansen

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Spring Lake823 people · $232K homes

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Bennett622 people · $250K homes

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Elderon682 people · $214K homes

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Berlin918 people · $251K 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.

Hansen vs Vesper

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Hansen and Vesper share a border

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Hansen and Vesper

Bordering Hansen

Towns like Hansen

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