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%

True$1,010/mo

Typical home $165K (Census) · tax rate 1.04% · or rent about $900/mo · Housing →

Alvin$1,070/mo

Typical home $183K (Census) · tax rate 0.73% · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Alvin and True.

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

TrueAlvin

Snow a year52″67″

January low2°F 0°F

July high79°F 77°F

Growing season (days)117d 95d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)48th 18th

Outdoors & history

TrueAlvin

Trails1 mi 83 mi

Conserved land6.4%79.1%

Archive photos—9

Community

TrueAlvin

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

104 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

TrueRusk County AlvinForest County

True ↔ Alvin104 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

TrueAlvin

People

Population 189Lowest 238Highest

Median age 45.5±7.8Highest 13% above WI 42.8±18Lowest 6% above WI

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

Kids under 18 22.2%±4.6Lowest WI: 21.4% 37%±16.9Highest WI: 21.4%

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

Age 65+ 20.1%±10.6Lowest WI: 18.5% 23.5%±14.9Highest WI: 18.5%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.4%Highest WI: 33.4% 15.3%Lowest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.1%±5.5Highest WI: 5.8% 0%±5.9Lowest WI: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $63,333±$12kHighest 18% below WI $49,375±$39kLowest 36% below WI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $164,600±$15kLowest 38% below WI $182,500±$79kHighest 32% below WI

Alvin and True 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 $1,714Highest 55% below WI $1,325Lowest 65% below WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25%±100Highest WI: 43.7% 0%±100Lowest WI: 43.7%

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

Below poverty line 3.2%Lowest WI: 10.6% 17.2%Highest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 85.4%Highest WI: 67.8% 80.7%Lowest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest 4 yrs newer than WI 1981Highest 6 yrs newer than WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 29 minHighest 29% above WI 21 minLowest 7% below WI

Work from home 5.2%±4.9Lowest WI: 13.1% 24.6%±14.4Highest WI: 13.1%

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 1.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.3 miLowest 31.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.30Highest 0.24Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Ladysmith (33%)Lincoln (18%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AlvinFew work in True

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 6.4%Lowest 79.1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.7 miLowest 83.3 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.7 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.6Highest 0.7Lowest

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.

True neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to True’s Town Square.

Alvin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alvin’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside True and Alvin

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

Bordering True

+ Compare

Richland169 people · $134K homes

+ Compare

Dewey482 people · $221K homes

+ Compare

Cedar Rapids15 people · $263K homes

+ Compare

Lawrence254 people · $100K homes

Towns like True

+ Compare

Potter221 people · $177K homes

+ Compare

Haney291 people · $159K homes

+ Compare

Tennyson308 people · $134K homes

+ Compare

Cloverland199 people · $213K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Wisconsin towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

True vs Alvin

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

104 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside True and Alvin

Bordering True

Towns like True

Post to True

Check your email