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Compare towns

Dane vs Poynette

13 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (21.4× in Poynette) and trails (4× in Dane).

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Dane, WIOne of the healthiest townsDane County · 1,567 people
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Poynette, WIKnown for its schoolsWisconsin · 2,678 people
Swap order
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.

DaneOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 88%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Dane →
PoynetteKnown for its schools
Schools#102 for schools in WIof 262 towns Outdoors#35 most conserved land in WI1.3 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves Housing$412K typical home21% above the WI typical home All about Poynette →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Street grid21.4×
Poynette has the more walkable street grid
Poynette 49.2Dane 2.3
Trails4×
Dane has more miles of trail
Dane 5.2 miPoynette 1.3 mi
Home values+59%
Homes cost more in Dane
Dane $472,500Poynette $296,600
Rent+41%
Rent runs higher in Poynette
Poynette $821Dane $584
Jobs per worker2.5×
Poynette is more of a job hub
Poynette 0.59Dane 0.24
Typical home built29 yrs
Dane’s homes are older
Poynette 1991Dane 1962
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $220 more a month in Dane

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.

Dane$2,940/mo
Typical home $473K (Census) · tax rate 1.18% · or rent about $584/mo · Housing →
Poynette$2,730/mo
Typical home $412K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.66% · or rent about $821/mo · Housing →

The difference: $220 a month, about $2,600 a year, between Dane and Poynette.

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
–DaneNot graded A−PoynetteBetter than 75% of districts in the state
Health
ADaneHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns B+PoynetteHealthier than 69% of U.S. towns
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
DanePoynette
Snow a year39″43″
January low10°F9°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)169d154d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)10th90th
Outdoors & history
DanePoynette
Trails5 mi1 mi
Conserved land6.4%12.2%
Settled1899—
Archive photos12—
Famous people born here1—
Community
DanePoynette
Library hours a week—51 hrs
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.

Where they are

13 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DanePoynetteDanePoynette
Dane ↔ Poynette13 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.

DanePoynette
People
Population 1,567Lowest 2,678Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.7%Lowest WI: +3.6% +2.5%Highest WI: +3.6%
Median age 40.7±6.9Lowest about the WI average 43±4.2Highest 7% above WI
Poynette and Dane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 32.1%±6.6Highest WI: 21.4% 22%±5Lowest WI: 21.4%
Dane and Poynette are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.8%±6.7Highest WI: 18.5% 14.2%±3.9Lowest WI: 18.5%
Dane and Poynette are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.3%Lowest WI: 33.4% 25.9%Highest WI: 33.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.1%±3.1Highest WI: 5.8% 4.4%±2.2Lowest WI: 5.8%
Dane and Poynette are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $95,156±$43kHighest 23% above WI $93,500±$15kLowest 21% above WI
Dane and Poynette are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $472,500±$73kHighest 77% above WI $296,600±$30kLowest 11% above WI
Rentmedian gross, monthly $584±$18Lowest 46% below WI $821±$133Highest 24% below WI
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,580Highest 47% above WI $4,910Lowest 29% above WI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 3.1%±11.1Lowest WI: 43.7% 24.8%±11.6Highest WI: 43.7%
Poynette and Dane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 1.6%Lowest WI: 10.6% 6.6%Highest WI: 10.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 71.1%Lowest WI: 67.8% 72.7%Highest WI: 67.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 13 yrs older than WI 1991Highest 16 yrs newer than WI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 3% above WI 28 minHighest 27% above WI
Work from home 23.3%±18.3Highest WI: 13.1% 11.3%±3.5Lowest WI: 13.1%
Dane and Poynette are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.8%Lowest 8.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miLowest 20.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.24Lowest 0.59Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Madison (39%)Madison (30%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PoynetteFew work in Dane
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.4%Lowest 12.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 5.2 miHighest 1.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.3Lowest 49.2Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#102 of 262 in WI
School district —Poynette School District
High school in town —Poynette High
Students per teacherat that high school — 12.6
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.

Dane neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dane’s Town Square.

Poynette neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Poynette’s Town Square.

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Set another town beside Dane and Poynette

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Bordering Dane

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Dane1,067 people · $350K homes
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Roxbury1,808 people · $461K homes
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Springfield2,859 people · $555K homes
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Vienna1,385 people · $457K homes

Towns like Dane

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Clarno1,147 people · $311K homes
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Port Washington1,591 people · $379K homes
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Random Lake1,575 people · $279K 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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