Ashland vs Mellen
Ashland, Wisconsin versus Mellen, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Ashland and Mellen score about the same overall (45 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ashland | Mellen |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $47k | $40k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $45k |
| Home Value | $144k | $75k |
| Monthly Rent | $685 | $610 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $188 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.77% | 1.32% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.88% | 11.94% |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | 1.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 14°F | 13°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.0 in | 34.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 73.5 in | 102.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 214 days | 214 days |
| Summer Humidity | 56°F | 56°F |
| Comfortable Days | 62 days | 63 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 56.1 | 43.7 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 62.5 | 62.2 |
| Violent Crime | 903/100k | 617/100k |
| Property Crime | 3310/100k | 1918/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 7,903 | 567 |
| Median Age | 39.7 | 51.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.28 | 0.07 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.10 | 0.86 |
| Political Leaning | D+11 | D+11 |
| White (%) | 81.8% | 96.3% |
| Black (%) | 2.3% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.7% | 0.0% |
| Asian (%) | 1.3% | 1.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 10.9% | 2.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 13 min | — |
| Walkability | 8.9/20 | 4.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 163 mi | 159 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 74.7% | 69.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 99.96 | 176.37 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ashland or Mellen more affordable?
- Mellen has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Ashland's $45k and Mellen's $45k. Median rent is $685 in Ashland versus $610 in Mellen.
- Is Ashland or Mellen safer?
- Mellen has the lower violent crime rate. Ashland reports 903/100k and Mellen reports 617/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ashland or Mellen?
- The median home value is $144k in Ashland and $75k in Mellen, so homes are more affordable in Mellen.