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Willow vs Ithaca

Next-door neighbors in Richland County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (10× in Ithaca) and household income (+52% in Ithaca).

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Willow, WIA small town of 378Richland County · 378 people
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Ithaca, WIKnown for its schoolsRichland County · 645 people
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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.

WillowA small town of 378
Quiet strengthsWillow doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Willow →
IthacaKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 22%of WI districts All about Ithaca →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker10×
Ithaca is more of a job hub
Ithaca 0.50Willow 0.05
Household income+52%
Households in Ithaca earn more
Ithaca $96,080Willow $63,125
Growth since 2010+16.6 pts
Ithaca has grown faster since 2010
Ithaca +2.3%Willow -14.3%
Property tax bill+15%
Tax bills are bigger in Ithaca
Ithaca $3,402Willow $2,958
★ What stands out · Where they are

Willow and Ithaca share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

WillowIthacaWillowIthaca
Willow ↔ Ithaca5.6 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
4 Willow residents work in Ithaca (2.1% of its workers)
Work & commute in Willow →
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Willow$1,480/mo
Typical home $235K (Census) · tax rate 1.26% · Housing →
Ithaca$1,480/mo
Typical home $229K (Census) · tax rate 1.49% · or rent about $883/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

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
–WillowNot graded C−IthacaBetter than 22% of districts in the state
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
WillowIthaca
Snow a year40″40″
January low8°F8°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)154d154d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)74th74th
Outdoors & history
WillowIthaca
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land3%1.7%
Archive photos—6
Community
WillowIthaca
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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.

WillowIthaca
People
Population 378Lowest 645Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -14.3%Lowest WI: +3.6% +2.3%Highest WI: +3.6%
Median age 52.8±6.1Highest 31% above WI 47.6±14.8Lowest 18% above WI
Willow and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22%±4.5Lowest WI: 21.4% 25%±4.8Highest WI: 21.4%
Ithaca and Willow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 26.2%±4.6Highest WI: 18.5% 19.4%±6.8Lowest WI: 18.5%
Willow and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.9%Highest WI: 33.4% 21.3%Lowest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.1%±1.3Lowest WI: 5.8% 1.9%±1.5Highest WI: 5.8%
Ithaca and Willow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $63,125±$19kLowest 19% below WI $96,080±$11kHighest 24% above WI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $235,300±$50kHighest 12% below WI $228,900±$17kLowest 14% below WI
Willow and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $883±$58 19% below WI
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,958Lowest 22% below WI $3,402Highest 10% below WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 WI: 43.7% 0%±80 WI: 43.7%
Below poverty line 5.6%Lowest WI: 10.6% 12%Highest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88.3%Highest WI: 67.8% 85.9%Lowest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest 1 yr newer than WI 1974Lowest 1 yr older than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 17% above WI 22 minLowest about the WI average
Work from home 17.2%±14.2Highest WI: 13.1% 3.5%±1.6Lowest WI: 13.1%
Willow and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 0.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miHighest 20.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.05Lowest 0.50Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Richland Center (23%)Richland Center (26%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in IthacaFew work in Willow
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3%Highest 1.7%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.1Lowest 2.3Highest
Schools
School district —Ithaca School District
High school in town —Ithaca High
Students per teacherat that high school — 10.3
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.

Willow neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Willow’s Town Square.

Ithaca neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ithaca’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Willow and Ithaca

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

Bordering Willow

R
+ Compare
Rockbridge760 people · $277K homes
W
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Westford641 people · $243K homes
W
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Washington1,221 people · $295K homes

Towns like Willow

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Freedom462 people · $246K homes
G
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Grant394 people · $254K homes
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Grant487 people · $233K homes
F
+ Compare
Fountain438 people · $288K 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.

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