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%

Akaska$620/mo

Typical home $92K (Census) · tax rate est. 1.8% · Housing →

Wasta$680/mo

Typical home $109K (Census) · tax rate 1.23% · or rent about $775/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $800 a year, between Wasta and Akaska.

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.

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

AkaskaWasta

Snow a year33″30″

January low4°F 9°F

July high84°F 89°F

Growing season (days)145d 141d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th 74th

Outdoors & history

AkaskaWasta

Settled1907 —

National Register places—1

Archive photos1 —

Community

AkaskaWasta

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.

Where they are

144 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AkaskaSD WastaSD

Akaska ↔ Wasta144 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.

Only big differences vs South Dakota average

AkaskaWasta

People

Population 104Highest 70Lowest

Median age 63.8±72.6Highest 68% above SD 62.6±2.4Lowest 65% above SD

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

Kids under 18 1.9%±23.7Lowest SD: 24.2% 10%±25.5Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 46.2%±19.3Highest SD: 18% 35.7%±37.7Lowest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 36.1%Lowest SD: 31.9% 36.5%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 17.3%±23.8Highest SD: 5% 0%±20.2Lowest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $40,625±$21kHighest 46% below SD $34,375±$17kLowest 54% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $91,700±$30kLowest 64% below SD $108,800±$20kHighest 58% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly — $775±$118 18% below SD

Property taxmedian, yearly — $1,341 51% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±74.2 SD: 39.8% 100%±100 SD: 39.8%

Below poverty line 31.7%Highest SD: 11.9% 8.6%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 65.3%Lowest SD: 68.6% 84.6%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than SD 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 43% above SD 22 minLowest 23% above SD

Work from home 1.8%±3.3Lowest SD: 9.7% 4.8%±6.4Highest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 0% 0%

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.3 miLowest 38.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.20Highest 0.07Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Mobridge (20%)Rapid City (47%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WastaFew work in Akaska

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.0 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 50.9Lowest 84.8Highest

South Dakota 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.

Akaska neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Akaska’s Town Square.

Wasta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wasta’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Akaska and Wasta

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Akaska

+ Compare

Taylor Township77 people

+ Compare

Red Iron Lake Township142 people

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Nutley Township52 people

+ Compare

McIntosh80 people · $46K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks South Dakota towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Akaska vs Wasta

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

144 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Akaska and Wasta

Towns like Akaska

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