Compare towns
Ira vs Appleton vs Jay vs Clarendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
Appleton has the youngest population (median age 49.2).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Clarendon has the shortest commute (16 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ira | Appleton | Jay | Clarendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
1,360 |
471 |
2,460Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Lowest 26% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
52.3±4.1 34% above U.S. |
| Ira and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Clarendon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Appleton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$74,792±$25kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$59,609±$12k 26% below U.S. |
| Jay and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33k 29% below U.S. |
$234,200±$45k 30% below U.S. |
$220,900±$32kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Ira and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82Highest 22% below U.S. |
— | $1,096±$305 22% below U.S. |
| Appleton and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,740 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±27.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Mill River Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.