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Polk vs Jackson

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

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

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Jackson, WIKnown for its schoolsWisconsin · 8,003 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.

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 →

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 →

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%

Polk$3,510/mo

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

Jackson$2,710/mo

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

Polk and Jackson share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PolkJackson

Polk ↔ Jackson3.2 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

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

Health

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

6Polk

8Jackson

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

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

Left end = #1 in Wisconsin. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Polk’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

PolkJackson

Snow a year54″54″

January low11°F 11°F

July high81°F 81°F

Growing season (days)154d 154d

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

Outdoors & history

PolkJackson

Trails4 mi 0 mi

Conserved land3.1%2.7%

Famous people born here—1

Community

PolkJackson

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

PolkJackson

People

Population 3,970Lowest 8,003Highest

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

Median age 50.9±6Highest 27% above WI 42.6±3.4Lowest 6% 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 20.2%±4.8Highest WI: 21.4% 19.3%±3.4Lowest 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+ 27.9%±7.7Highest WI: 18.5% 17.2%±3.4Lowest 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+ 36.7%Highest WI: 33.4% 35.7%Lowest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.7%±4Highest WI: 5.8% 2.8%±1.3Lowest 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 $98,676±$17kHighest 27% above WI $93,170±$17kLowest 20% 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 $455,300±$61kHighest 71% above WI $321,500±$20kLowest 21% above WI

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,289±$528Highest 19% above WI $1,151±$66Lowest 6% 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 $3,675Lowest 3% below WI $4,235Highest 12% above WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 48.3%±32Highest WI: 43.7% 36.7%±14Lowest 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 1.8%Lowest WI: 10.6% 6%Highest WI: 10.6%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

Work from home 11.7%±6Lowest WI: 13.1% 16.5%±5.2Highest 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 2.9%Lowest 5.3%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miHighest 14.3 miLowest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in JacksonFew work in Polk

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.1%Highest 2.7%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 3.7 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Highest 4Lowest

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

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.

Polk neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Polk’s Town Square.

Jackson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jackson’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Polk and Jackson

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

Bordering Polk

Slinger6,307 people · $367K homes

Richfield11,755 people · $503K homes

West Bend4,405 people · $467K homes

Hartford3,355 people · $366K homes

Towns like Polk

Trenton4,579 people · $366K homes

Wilson3,439 people · $296K homes

Taycheedah4,609 people · $354K homes

Winneconne2,625 people · $369K 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.