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%

Dane$3,320/mo

Typical home $505K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.59% · or rent about $1,317/mo · Housing →

Dane$2,940/mo

Typical home $473K (Census) · tax rate 1.18% · or rent about $584/mo · Housing →

The difference: $380 a month, about $4,500 a year, between Dane and Dane.

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.

Where they are

Dane and Dane share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DaneDane

Dane ↔ Dane2.7 miles apart · They share a border

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

C+DaneBetter than 44% of districts in the state –DaneNot graded

Health

A−DaneHealthier than 85% of U.S. towns ADaneHealthier than 88% 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

DaneDane

Snow a year43″39″

January low9°F 10°F

July high82°F 82°F

Growing season (days)154d 169d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)10th 10th

Outdoors & history

DaneDane

Trails0 mi 5 mi

Conserved land0%6.4%

Settled—1899

Archive photos—12

Famous people born here—1

Community

DaneDane

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.

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

DaneDane

People

Population 1,067Lowest 1,567Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +12.3%Highest WI: +3.6% -5.7%Lowest WI: +3.6%

Median age 34.5±1.2Lowest 14% below WI 40.7±6.9Highest about the WI average

Dane and Dane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 21.1%±2.4Lowest WI: 21.4% 32.1%±6.6Highest WI: 21.4%

Age 65+ 7.5%±1.8Lowest WI: 18.5% 16.8%±6.7Highest WI: 18.5%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26.8%Highest WI: 33.4% 23.3%Lowest WI: 33.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5%±2.1Lowest WI: 5.8% 5.1%±3.1Highest WI: 5.8%

Dane and Dane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $108,375±$16kHighest 40% above WI $95,156±$43kLowest 23% above WI

Dane and Dane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $350,000±$17kLowest 31% above WI $472,500±$73kHighest 77% above WI

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,317±$125Highest 21% above WI $584±$18Lowest 46% below WI

Property taxmedian, yearly $5,558Lowest 47% above WI $5,580Highest 47% above WI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 37.3%±19.8Highest WI: 43.7% 3.1%±11.1Lowest WI: 43.7%

Below poverty line 3.9%Highest WI: 10.6% 1.6%Lowest WI: 10.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 78.9%Highest WI: 67.8% 71.1%Lowest WI: 67.8%

Typical home builtmedian year 1982Highest 7 yrs newer than WI 1962Lowest 13 yrs older than WI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 3% below WI 23 minHighest 3% above WI

Work from home 12.2%±5.6Lowest WI: 13.1% 23.3%±18.3Highest WI: 13.1%

Dane and Dane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 0.4%Lowest 0.8%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.3 miLowest 14.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.35Highest 0.24Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Madison (34%)Madison (39%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DaneFew work in Dane

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 6.4%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miLowest 5.2 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 29.5Highest 2.3Lowest

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.

Dane neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dane’s Town Square.

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Towns like Dane

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Arlington946 people · $292K homes

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Rock Creek1,012 people · $274K 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.

Dane vs Dane

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $380 more a month in Dane

Dane and Dane share a border

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Dane and Dane

Towns like Dane

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