Skip to content

TownTapestry

Find a town

Guest, Sign inJoin

Compare towns

Jackson vs Polk

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: street grid (9× in Jackson) and home values (+42% in Polk).

×

Jackson, WIKnown for its schoolsWisconsin · 8,003 people

×

Polk, WIHomes around $594KWashington County · 3,970 people

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.

JacksonKnown for its schools

Schools#30 for schools in WIof 262 towns

Outdoors#62 most walkable in WI0.0 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves Housing$428K typical home26% above the WI typical home All about Jackson →

PolkHomes around $594K

Housing$594K typical home75% above the WI typical home HealthHealthier than 82%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Polk →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jackson has the more walkable street grid

Jackson 70.4Polk 7.8

Home values+42%

Homes cost more in Polk

Polk $455,300Jackson $321,500

Homeowners+17.9 pts renters

Jackson has more renters

Polk 87.6%Jackson 69.7%

Typical home built19 yrs

Polk’s homes are older

Jackson 1998Polk 1979

Growth since 2010+5.1 pts

Jackson has grown faster since 2010

Jackson +6.4%Polk +1.3%

Property tax bill+15%

Tax bills are bigger in Jackson

Jackson $4,235Polk $3,675

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $800 more a month in Polk

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%

Jackson$2,710/mo

Typical home $428K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.32% · or rent about $1,151/mo · Housing →

Polk$3,510/mo

Typical home $594K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.81% · or rent about $1,289/mo · Housing →

The difference: $800 a month, about $9,600 a year, between Polk and Jackson.

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.

Where they are

Jackson and Polk share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

JacksonPolk

Jackson ↔ Polk3.2 miles apart · They share a border

Report cards

Jackson places higher on 8 of 19 WI lists

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

A−JacksonBetter than 79% of districts in the state –PolkNot graded

Health

A−JacksonHealthier than 82% of U.S. towns A−PolkHealthier than 82% of U.S. towns

8Jackson

6Polk

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 371 towns #62#265 Highest graduation rateSchools · 301 towns #144#6 Fastest growingGrowth · 358 towns #125#253 Most affordableCost of living · 371 towns #231#344 Most new homesHousing · 294 towns #52#140 Most remote workersWork · 363 towns #94#199 Lowest property taxCost of living · 371 towns #229#164 Cheapest rentCost of living · 348 towns #208#264

Left end = #1 in Wisconsin. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Jackson’s rankings →

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

JacksonPolk

Snow a year54″54″

January low11°F 11°F

July high81°F 81°F

Growing season (days)154d 154d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)17th 10th

Outdoors & history

JacksonPolk

Trails0 mi 4 mi

Conserved land2.7%3.1%

Famous people born here1 —

Community

JacksonPolk

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

JacksonPolk

People

Population 8,003Highest 3,970Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.4%Highest WI: +3.6% +1.3%Lowest WI: +3.6%

Median age 42.6±3.4Lowest 6% above WI 50.9±6Highest 27% above WI

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

Kids under 18 19.3%±3.4Lowest WI: 21.4% 20.2%±4.8Highest WI: 21.4%

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

Age 65+ 17.2%±3.4Lowest WI: 18.5% 27.9%±7.7Highest WI: 18.5%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35.7%Lowest WI: 33.4% 36.7%Highest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±1.3Lowest WI: 5.8% 4.7%±4Highest WI: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $93,170±$17kLowest 20% above WI $98,676±$17kHighest 27% above WI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $321,500±$20kLowest 21% above WI $455,300±$61kHighest 71% above WI

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,151±$66Lowest 6% above WI $1,289±$528Highest 19% above WI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $4,235Highest 12% above WI $3,675Lowest 3% below WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 36.7%±14Lowest WI: 43.7% 48.3%±32Highest WI: 43.7%

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

Below poverty line 6%Highest WI: 10.6% 1.8%Lowest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 69.7%Lowest WI: 67.8% 87.6%Highest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1998Highest 23 yrs newer than WI 1979Lowest 4 yrs newer than WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 24% above WI 31 minHighest 40% above WI

Work from home 16.5%±5.2Highest WI: 13.1% 11.7%±6Lowest WI: 13.1%

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

Work in townworking residents 5.3%Highest 2.9%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miLowest 16.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.89Lowest 0.91Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Milwaukee (15%)Milwaukee (12%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PolkFew work in Jackson

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.7%Lowest 3.1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 3.7 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 6Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.4Highest 7.8Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #30 of 262 in WI—

School district West Bend School District—

High school in town None in town—

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.

Jackson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jackson’s Town Square.

Polk neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Polk’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Jackson and Polk

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

Bordering Jackson

Jackson3,966 people · $418K homes

Towns like Jackson

Lake Hallie7,285 people · $292K homes

Mukwonago8,415 people · $366K homes

Port Washington12,645 people · $296K homes

Slinger6,307 people · $367K 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.