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Compare towns

Poynette vs Dane

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

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

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 →
DaneOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 88%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Dane →
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.

Poynette$2,730/mo
Typical home $412K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.66% · or rent about $821/mo · Housing →
Dane$2,940/mo
Typical home $473K (Census) · tax rate 1.18% · or rent about $584/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
A−PoynetteBetter than 75% of districts in the state –DaneNot graded
Health
B+PoynetteHealthier than 69% 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
PoynetteDane
Snow a year43″39″
January low9°F10°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)154d169d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)90th10th
Outdoors & history
PoynetteDane
Trails1 mi5 mi
Conserved land12.2%6.4%
Settled—1899
Archive photos—12
Famous people born here—1
Community
PoynetteDane
Library hours a week51 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.

PoynetteDanePoynetteDane
Poynette ↔ Dane13 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.

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

Poynette neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Poynette’s Town Square.

Dane neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dane’s Town Square.

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Set another town beside Poynette and Dane

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Bordering Poynette

D
+ Compare
Dekorra2,467 people · $371K homes
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Arlington807 people · $350K homes

Towns like Poynette

H
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Hortonville3,256 people · $264K homes
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Jamestown1,965 people · $241K homes
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Mineral Point2,559 people · $212K homes
B
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Bass Lake2,839 people · $267K 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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