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Compare towns

Maple vs Poplar

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+10.2 pts in Poplar) and street grid (2× in Poplar).

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Maple, WIKnown for its schoolsDouglas County · 678 people
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Poplar, WIKnown for its schoolsWisconsin · 626 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.

MapleKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 76%of WI districts Housing$258K typical home24% below the WI typical home Outdoors17% conserved land6.7 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Maple →
PoplarKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 76%of WI districts All about Poplar →
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.

Growth since 2010+10.2 pts
Poplar has grown faster since 2010
Poplar +4.3%Maple -5.9%
Street grid2×
Poplar has the more walkable street grid
Poplar 4.9Maple 2.5
Jobs per worker2.1×
Poplar is more of a job hub
Poplar 0.94Maple 0.44
Conserved land+15.9 pts
Maple has more conserved land
Maple 17%Poplar 1.1%
Seasonal homes+15.3 pts
Maple has more second homes
Maple 17.6%Poplar 2.3%
Property tax bill+28%
Tax bills are bigger in Poplar
Poplar $2,770Maple $2,172
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $340 more a month in Poplar

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.

Maple$1,590/mo
Typical home $258K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.08% · or rent about $900/mo · Housing →
Poplar$1,930/mo
Typical home $314K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.08% · or rent about $979/mo · Housing →

The difference: $340 a month, about $4,100 a year, between Poplar and Maple.

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

Maple and Poplar share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

MaplePoplarMaplePoplar
Maple ↔ Poplar4.1 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
11 Maple residents work in Poplar (3.7% of its workers)
Work & commute in Maple →
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
A−MapleBetter than 76% of districts in the state A−PoplarBetter than 76% of districts in the state
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
MaplePoplar
Snow a year56″56″
January low6°F6°F
July high76°F76°F
Growing season (days)154d154d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)15th9th
Outdoors & history
MaplePoplar
Trails7 mi5 mi
Conserved land17%1.1%
Community
MaplePoplar
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.

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.

MaplePoplar
People
Population 678Highest 626Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.9%Lowest WI: +3.6% +4.3%Highest WI: +3.6%
Median age 37.4±5.9Lowest 7% below WI 41.9±9.1Highest 4% above WI
Poplar and Maple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.2%±3.3Lowest WI: 21.4% 28%±7.1Highest WI: 21.4%
Poplar and Maple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.8%±2.4Lowest WI: 18.5% 16.6%±5.6Highest WI: 18.5%
Poplar and Maple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 33.5%Highest WI: 33.4% 30.4%Lowest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±2.2Lowest WI: 5.8% 3.8%±1.7Highest WI: 5.8%
Poplar and Maple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $90,500±$39kLowest 17% above WI $113,125±$28kHighest 46% above WI
Poplar and Maple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $201,300±$38kLowest 24% below WI $255,600±$65kHighest 4% below WI
Poplar and Maple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $900±$264Lowest 17% below WI $979±$305Highest 10% below WI
Poplar and Maple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,172Lowest 43% below WI $2,770Highest 27% below WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 83.3%±33Highest WI: 43.7% 30.8%±100Lowest WI: 43.7%
Maple and Poplar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.4%Highest WI: 10.6% 5.2%Lowest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 91.4%Lowest WI: 67.8% 91.5%Highest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Lowest same as WI 1977Highest 2 yrs newer than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 34 minHighest 55% above WI 33 minLowest 46% above WI
Work from home 7.1%±2.8Lowest WI: 13.1% 9%±4.2Highest WI: 13.1%
Poplar and Maple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.7%Lowest 4.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miHighest 20.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.44Lowest 0.94Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Superior (27%)Duluth (28%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 4% work in PoplarFew work in Maple
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 17%Highest 1.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 6.7 miHighest 4.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.5Lowest 4.9Highest
Schools
School district Maple School DistrictMaple School District
High school in town Northwestern HighNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 15.1 —
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.

Maple neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Maple’s Town Square.

Poplar neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Poplar’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Maple and Poplar

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

Bordering Maple

B
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Brule545 people · $227K homes
C
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Cloverland199 people · $213K homes
A
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Amnicon1,202 people · $197K homes
L
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Lakeside720 people · $244K homes

Towns like Maple

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Whitestown711 people · $196K homes
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Ellenboro604 people · $247K homes
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Stanfold979 people · $282K homes
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Eileen811 people · $280K 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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