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 →

Mason$680/mo

Typical home $113K (Census) · tax rate 0.91% · 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

TrueMason

Snow a year52″74″

January low2°F 3°F

July high79°F 77°F

Growing season (days)117d 132d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)48th 8th

Outdoors & history

TrueMason

Trails1 mi 2 mi

Conserved land6.4%5.9%

Community

TrueMason

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

65 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

TrueRusk County MasonWI

True ↔ Mason65 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

TrueMason

People

Population 189Highest 93Lowest

Median age 45.5±7.8Highest 13% above WI 42.3±11.6Lowest 5% 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 22.2%±4.6Lowest WI: 21.4% 28%±10.8Highest 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+ 20.1%±10.6Highest WI: 18.5% 18.3%±31.7Lowest 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+ 17.4%Highest WI: 33.4% 13.8%Lowest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.1%±5.5Highest WI: 5.8% 0%±15.2Lowest 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 $63,333±$12kLowest 18% below WI $71,667±$29kHighest 8% 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 $164,600±$15kHighest 38% below WI $112,500±$43kLowest 58% 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 $1,714Highest 55% below WI $1,028Lowest 73% below WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25%±100Lowest WI: 43.7% 42.9%±100Highest 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 3.2%Lowest WI: 10.6% 12.9%Highest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 85.4%Highest WI: 67.8% 79.4%Lowest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 4 yrs newer than WI 1949Lowest 26 yrs older than WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 29 minLowest 29% above WI 30 minHighest 33% above WI

Work from home 5.2%±4.9Highest WI: 13.1% 5%±4.6Lowest 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 17.3 miHighest 14.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.30Highest 0.17Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Ladysmith (33%)Ashland (35%)

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

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 6.4%Highest 5.9%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.7 miLowest 1.9 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 2.4 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.6Lowest 24.8Highest

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.

True neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to True’s Town Square.

Mason neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mason’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside True and Mason

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

Bordering True

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Richland169 people · $134K homes

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Dewey482 people · $221K homes

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Cedar Rapids15 people · $263K homes

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Lawrence254 people · $100K homes

Towns like True

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Potter221 people · $177K homes

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Haney291 people · $159K homes

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Alvin238 people · $183K homes

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Tennyson308 people · $134K 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.

True vs Mason

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $330 more a month in True

What daily life feels like in each

65 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside True and Mason

Bordering True

Towns like True

Post to True

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