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Compare towns

Iola vs Colfax

132 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+6.1 pts in Colfax) and typical home built (18 yrs in Colfax).

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Iola, WIKnown for its schoolsWisconsin · 1,286 people
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Colfax, WIKnown for its schoolsWisconsin · 1,370 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.

IolaKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 35%of WI districts All about Iola →
ColfaxKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 71%of WI districts HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Colfax →
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.

Growth since 2010+6.1 pts
Colfax has grown faster since 2010
Colfax +2.1%Iola -4%
Typical home built18 yrs
Colfax’s homes are older
Iola 1977Colfax 1959
Average commute5 min
Iola has the shorter commute
Colfax 26 minIola 21 min
★ What stands out · 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.

Schools
C+IolaBetter than 35% of districts in the state B+ColfaxBetter than 71% of districts in the state
Health
C+IolaHealthier than 45% of U.S. towns BColfaxHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Colfax

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.

Iola$1,980/mo
Typical home $292K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.86% · or rent about $766/mo · Housing →
Colfax$2,180/mo
Typical home $328K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.68% · or rent about $698/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,300 a year, between Colfax and Iola.

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
IolaColfax
Snow a year49″41″
January low8°F5°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)151d143d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)20th75th
Outdoors & history
IolaColfax
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land0.3%0%
National Register places11
Archive photos76
Famous people born here52
Community
IolaColfax
Library hours a week44 hrs39 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.

Where they are

132 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

IolaWIColfaxWI
Iola ↔ Colfax132 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.

IolaColfax
People
Population 1,286Lowest 1,370Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4%Lowest WI: +3.6% +2.1%Highest WI: +3.6%
Median age 40.4±5.6Highest about the WI average 40±6.3Lowest about the WI average
Iola and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.1%±3.2Highest WI: 21.4% 20.1%±2.4Lowest WI: 21.4%
Iola and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.3%±6.3Lowest WI: 18.5% 22.8%±8.1Highest WI: 18.5%
Colfax and Iola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.2%Highest WI: 33.4% 15.7%Lowest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±3.3Highest WI: 5.8% 3.1%±2.1Lowest WI: 5.8%
Iola and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $44,735±$12kLowest 42% below WI $61,762±$9kHighest 20% below WI
Colfax and Iola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $164,200±$15kLowest 38% below WI $173,500±$19kHighest 35% below WI
Colfax and Iola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $766±$63Highest 30% below WI $698±$314Lowest 36% below WI
Iola and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,050Highest 20% below WI $2,917Lowest 23% below WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.6%±8.9Highest WI: 43.7% 16.4%±2.2Lowest WI: 43.7%
Below poverty line 13.7%Highest WI: 10.6% 12.3%Lowest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 52.4%Highest WI: 67.8% 44.6%Lowest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1977Highest 2 yrs newer than WI 1959Lowest 16 yrs older than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 7% below WI 26 minHighest 15% above WI
Work from home 5.3%±2.4Highest WI: 13.1% 4.5%±2.5Lowest WI: 13.1%
Iola and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 12.1%Highest 7.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.8 miHighest 15.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.77Lowest 0.94Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Waupaca (14%)Menomonie (26%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ColfaxFew work in Iola
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 49.1Lowest 50.3Highest
Schools
School district Iola-Scandinavia School DistrictColfax School District
High school in town Iola-Scandinavia HighColfax High
Students per teacherat that high school 12.6Lowest 12.9Highest
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.

Iola neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Iola’s Town Square.

Colfax neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colfax’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Iola and Colfax

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

Bordering Iola

I
+ Compare
Iola962 people · $275K homes
S
+ Compare
Scandinavia1,247 people · $274K homes

Towns like Iola

+ Compare
Wittenberg1,027 people · $139K homes
+ Compare
Colby1,907 people · $185K homes
W
+ Compare
Whitehall1,555 people · $152K homes
P
+ Compare
Phillips1,602 people · $103K 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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