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Mattoon vs Avoca

141 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (11.4× in Mattoon) and trails (4.3× in Avoca).

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Mattoon, WIA small town of 457Wisconsin · 457 people

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Avoca, WIA small town of 473Wisconsin · 473 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.

MattoonA small town of 457

Quiet strengthsMattoon doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Mattoon →

AvocaA small town of 473

Quiet strengthsAvoca doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Avoca →

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.

Jobs per worker11.4×

Mattoon is more of a job hub

Mattoon 0.57Avoca 0.05

Avoca has more miles of trail

Avoca 2.6 miMattoon 0.6 mi

Typical home built37 yrs

Mattoon’s homes are older

Avoca 1975Mattoon 1938

Property tax bill+41%

Tax bills are bigger in Avoca

Avoca $2,029Mattoon $1,441

Average commute11 min

Mattoon has the shorter commute

Avoca 31 minMattoon 21 min

Conserved land+8.1 pts

Avoca has more conserved land

Avoca 8.1%Mattoon 0%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Avoca

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%

Mattoon$570/mo

Typical home $87K (Census) · tax rate 1.66% · or rent about $960/mo · Housing →

Avoca$770/mo

Typical home $115K (Census) · tax rate 1.76% · or rent about $908/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,400 a year, between Avoca and Mattoon.

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

MattoonAvoca

Snow a year54″40″

January low4°F 8°F

July high78°F 82°F

Growing season (days)139d 154d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th 63rd

Outdoors & history

MattoonAvoca

Conserved land—8.1%

Archive photos4 3

Community

MattoonAvoca

Library hours a week8 hrs —

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.

Where they are

141 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MattoonWI AvocaWI

Mattoon ↔ Avoca141 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.

Only big differences vs Wisconsin average

MattoonAvoca

People

Population 457Lowest 473Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -13.2% WI: +3.6%

Median age 43.5±9.6Lowest 8% above WI 45.6±9.6Highest 13% above WI

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

Kids under 18 24.3%±9.6Highest WI: 21.4% 22.4%±7.3Lowest WI: 21.4%

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

Age 65+ 18.6%±6.5Highest WI: 18.5% 15%±4.1Lowest WI: 18.5%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 7.5%Highest WI: 33.4% 3.7%Lowest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2%±1.7Highest WI: 5.8% 0.6%±2.3Lowest WI: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $68,750±$14kHighest 11% below WI $53,750±$15kLowest 31% below WI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $86,700±$14kLowest 67% below WI $115,400±$24kHighest 57% below WI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $960±$114Highest 12% below WI $908±$215Lowest 16% below WI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,441Lowest 62% below WI $2,029Highest 46% below WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 65.6%±50.1Highest WI: 43.7% 21.6%±44.7Lowest WI: 43.7%

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

Below poverty line 19.1%Lowest WI: 10.6% 19.5%Highest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 77.4%Lowest WI: 67.8% 79.6%Highest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1938Lowest 37 yrs older than WI 1975Highest same as WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 7% below WI 31 minHighest 41% above WI

Work from home 3.6%±2.9Lowest WI: 13.1% 7.2%±4.1Highest WI: 13.1%

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

Work in townworking residents 2.4%Highest 0.4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 28.8 miHighest 19.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.57Highest 0.05Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Antigo (8%)Dodgeville (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AvocaFew work in Mattoon

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 8.1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miLowest 2.6 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miLowest 1.1 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 4Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 21.0Lowest 25.6Highest

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.

Mattoon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mattoon’s Town Square.

Avoca neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Avoca’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Mattoon

Glen Haven411 people · $144K homes

Unity378 people · $105K homes

Boscobel510 people · $157K homes

Lohrville457 people · $123K 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.