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Compare towns

Mason vs True

65 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (15.5× in Mason) and property tax bill (+67% in True).

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Mason, WIA small town of 93Wisconsin · 93 people
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True, WIA small town of 189Rusk County · 189 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.

MasonA small town of 93
Quiet strengthsMason doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Mason →
TrueA small town of 189
Quiet strengthsTrue doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about True →
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.

Street grid15.5×
Mason has the more walkable street grid
Mason 24.8True 1.6
Property tax bill+67%
Tax bills are bigger in True
True $1,714Mason $1,028
Trails2.7×
Mason has more miles of trail
Mason 1.9 miTrue 0.7 mi
Typical home built30 yrs
Mason’s homes are older
True 1979Mason 1949
Jobs per worker+76%
True is more of a job hub
True 0.30Mason 0.17
Size2×
True is the bigger place
True 189Mason 93
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $330 more a month in True

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.

Mason$680/mo
Typical home $113K (Census) · tax rate 0.91% · Housing →
True$1,010/mo
Typical home $165K (Census) · tax rate 1.04% · or rent about $900/mo · Housing →

The difference: $330 a month, about $4,000 a year, between True and Mason.

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
MasonTrue
Snow a year74″52″
January low3°F2°F
July high77°F79°F
Growing season (days)132d117d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)8th48th
Outdoors & history
MasonTrue
Trails2 mi1 mi
Conserved land5.9%6.4%
Community
MasonTrue
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

65 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MasonWITrueRusk County
Mason ↔ True65 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.

MasonTrue
People
Population 93Lowest 189Highest
Median age 42.3±11.6Lowest 5% above WI 45.5±7.8Highest 13% above WI
True and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 28%±10.8Highest WI: 21.4% 22.2%±4.6Lowest WI: 21.4%
Mason and True are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.3%±31.7Lowest WI: 18.5% 20.1%±10.6Highest WI: 18.5%
True and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.8%Lowest WI: 33.4% 17.4%Highest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±15.2Lowest WI: 5.8% 1.1%±5.5Highest WI: 5.8%
True and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $71,667±$29kHighest 8% below WI $63,333±$12kLowest 18% below WI
Mason and True are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $112,500±$43kLowest 58% below WI $164,600±$15kHighest 38% below WI
True and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $900±$413 17% below WI
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,028Lowest 73% below WI $1,714Highest 55% below WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 42.9%±100Highest WI: 43.7% 25%±100Lowest WI: 43.7%
Mason and True are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.9%Highest WI: 10.6% 3.2%Lowest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 79.4%Lowest WI: 67.8% 85.4%Highest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1949Lowest 26 yrs older than WI 1979Highest 4 yrs newer than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 33% above WI 29 minLowest 29% above WI
Work from home 5%±4.6Lowest WI: 13.1% 5.2%±4.9Highest WI: 13.1%
True and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miLowest 17.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.17Lowest 0.30Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Ashland (35%)Ladysmith (33%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TrueFew work in Mason
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.9%Lowest 6.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.9 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 24.8Highest 1.6Lowest
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.

Mason neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mason’s Town Square.

True neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to True’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Mason and True

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Bordering Mason

+ Compare
Mason322 people · $238K homes

Towns like Mason

C
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Caswell89 people · $147K homes
P
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Pershing188 people · $172K homes
C
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Cloverland199 people · $213K homes
U
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Union Center215 people · $145K 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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