Beaver Dam vs Iron Ridge
Beaver Dam, Wisconsin versus Iron Ridge, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Beaver Dam and Iron Ridge score about the same overall (48 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Beaver Dam | Iron Ridge |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $70k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $44k |
| Home Value | $168k | $179k |
| Monthly Rent | $936 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $321 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.90% | 1.62% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.32% | 13.64% |
| Unemployment | 4.3% | 5.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 19°F | 19°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.3 in | 34.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 43.3 in | 40.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 212 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 92 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 54.8 | 52.5 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 53.0 | 64.8 |
| Violent Crime | 372/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 690/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 16,652 | 998 |
| Median Age | 40.4 | 38.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.25 | 0.09 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.14 | 1.18 |
| Political Leaning | R+31 | R+31 |
| White (%) | 83.6% | 95.1% |
| Black (%) | 2.9% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.3% | 1.4% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 2.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 7.9/20 | 5.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 59 mi | 45 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.6% | 92.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 28.83 | 80.16 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
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 Beaver Dam or Iron Ridge more affordable?
- Iron Ridge has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Beaver Dam's $44k and Iron Ridge's $44k. Median rent is $936 in Beaver Dam versus $1k in Iron Ridge.
- Is Beaver Dam or Iron Ridge safer?
- Iron Ridge has the lower violent crime rate. Beaver Dam reports 372/100k and Iron Ridge reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Beaver Dam or Iron Ridge?
- The median home value is $168k in Beaver Dam and $179k in Iron Ridge, so homes are more affordable in Beaver Dam.