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Sumner vs Northfield

70 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+17.9 pts in Northfield) and kids under 18 (+12.6 pts in Sumner).

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Sumner, WIA small town of 729Barron County · 729 people

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Northfield, WIA small town of 587Jackson County · 587 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.

SumnerA small town of 729

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

All about Sumner →

NorthfieldA small town of 587

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

All about Northfield →

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+17.9 pts

Northfield has grown faster since 2010

Northfield +5.5%Sumner -12.4%

Kids under 18+12.6 pts

Sumner has more kids

Sumner 31.3%Northfield 18.7%

Work from home+10.8 pts

More people work from home in Northfield

Northfield 16.8%Sumner 6%

Typical home built27 yrs

Northfield’s homes are older

Sumner 1987Northfield 1960

Property tax bill+26%

Tax bills are bigger in Sumner

Sumner $3,355Northfield $2,673

Jobs per worker+62%

Northfield is more of a job hub

Northfield 0.94Sumner 0.58

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $250 more a month in Sumner

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%

Sumner$1,860/mo

Typical home $302K (Census) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $1,500/mo · Housing →

Northfield$1,610/mo

Typical home $265K (Census) · tax rate 1.01% · or rent about $1,050/mo · Housing →

The difference: $250 a month, about $3,000 a year, between Sumner and Northfield.

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

SumnerNorthfield

Snow a year53″41″

January low2°F 4°F

July high81°F 81°F

Growing season (days)145d 143d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)28th 58th

Outdoors & history

SumnerNorthfield

Trails0 mi 2 mi

Conserved land2%2.9%

Community

SumnerNorthfield

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

70 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SumnerBarron County NorthfieldJackson County

Sumner ↔ Northfield70 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

SumnerNorthfield

People

Population 729Highest 587Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -12.4%Lowest WI: +3.6% +5.5%Highest WI: +3.6%

Median age 40.2±7.9Highest about the WI average 38.5±4.2Lowest 4% below WI

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

Kids under 18 31.3%±4.8Highest WI: 21.4% 18.7%±3.1Lowest WI: 21.4%

Age 65+ 20.2%±2.1Highest WI: 18.5% 18.2%±3.4Lowest WI: 18.5%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.1%Lowest WI: 33.4% 18.5%Highest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3%±2.4Lowest WI: 5.8% 4.3%±3Highest WI: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $79,286±$6kHighest about the WI average $70,250±$22kLowest 9% below WI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $302,100±$55kHighest 13% above WI $265,300±$30kLowest about the WI average

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,500±$385Highest 38% above WI $1,050±$284Lowest 3% below WI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,355Highest 12% below WI $2,673Lowest 30% below WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 64.3%±98.5Lowest WI: 43.7% 70%±100Highest WI: 43.7%

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

Below poverty line 4%Lowest WI: 10.6% 7.7%Highest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 94%Lowest WI: 67.8% 94.4%Highest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1987Highest 12 yrs newer than WI 1960Lowest 15 yrs older than WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 21% above WI 28 minHighest 27% above WI

Work from home 6%±3.2Lowest WI: 13.1% 16.8%±6.8Highest WI: 13.1%

Work in townworking residents 0.3%Lowest 4.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 19.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.58Lowest 0.94Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Rice Lake (33%)Black River Falls (16%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in NorthfieldFew work in Sumner

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2%Lowest 2.9%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 1.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.5Lowest 1.8Highest

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.

Sumner neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sumner’s Town Square.

Northfield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Northfield’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Sumner

Strickland321 people · $228K homes

Doyle712 people · $341K homes

Chetek1,670 people · $318K homes

Stanley2,549 people · $249K homes

Towns like Sumner

Turtle Lake797 people · $260K homes

Cooks Valley839 people · $279K homes

Stanton865 people · $266K homes

Goetz703 people · $289K 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.