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Alpena Township vs Bison Township

223 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (95.3× in Bison Township) and street grid (2.7× in Alpena Township).

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Alpena Township, SDAn outdoors townJerauld County · 58 people
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Bison Township, SDA small town of 59Perkins County · 59 people
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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.

Alpena TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors23.9% conserved land5.2 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves All about Alpena Township →
Bison TownshipA small town of 59
Quiet strengthsBison Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Bison Township →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Jobs per worker95.3×
Bison Township is more of a job hub
Bison Township 61.00Alpena Township 0.64
Street grid2.7×
Alpena Township has the more walkable street grid
Alpena Township 0.8Bison Township 0.3
Property tax bill+46%
Tax bills are bigger in Alpena Township
Alpena Township $3,500Bison Township $2,400
Conserved land+21.2 pts
Alpena Township has more conserved land
Alpena Township 23.9%Bison Township 2.7%
Trails+79%
Bison Township has more miles of trail
Bison Township 9.3 miAlpena Township 5.2 mi
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
Alpena TownshipBison Township
Snow a year45″40″
January low7°F10°F
July high84°F86°F
Growing season (days)157d144d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)61st54th
Outdoors & history
Alpena TownshipBison Township
Trails5 mi9 mi
Conserved land23.9%2.7%
Settled1883—
Community
Alpena TownshipBison Township
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

223 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Alpena TownshipJerauld CountyBison TownshipPerkins County
Alpena Township ↔ Bison Township223 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.

Alpena TownshipBison Township
People
Population 58Lowest 59Highest
Median age 13.5±4Highest 64% below SD 8.6±53.4Lowest 77% below SD
Alpena Township and Bison Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 65.5%±60.7Highest SD: 24.2% 55.9%±92.5Lowest SD: 24.2%
Alpena Township and Bison Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 6.9%±54.8Lowest SD: 18% 15.3%±45.2Highest SD: 18%
Bison Township and Alpena Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30%Lowest SD: 31.9% 34.6%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.4%±18.4Highest SD: 5% 0%±24Lowest SD: 5%
Alpena Township and Bison Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $106,875±$99kLowest 42% above SD $176,563±$54kHighest 135% above SD
Bison Township and Alpena Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $475,000±$432k 85% above SD —
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,500Highest 28% above SD $2,400Lowest 12% below SD
Below poverty line 34.5%Highest SD: 11.9% 0%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 100% SD: 68.6% 100% SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year — 1941 39 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 14 min 22% below SD —
Work from home 0%±62.5Lowest SD: 9.7% 78.9%±62.2Highest SD: 9.7%
Bison Township and Alpena Township 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 35.3 miLowest 61.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.64Lowest 61.00Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Wessington Springs (20%)—
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Bison TownshipFew work in Alpena Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 23.9%Highest 2.7%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 5.2 miLowest 9.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.8Highest 0.3Lowest
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.

Alpena Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alpena Township’s Town Square.

Bison Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bison Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Alpena Township

W
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Warren Township18 people
F
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Franklin Township184 people · $189K homes

Towns like Alpena Township

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Pleasant View Township71 people
F
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Fairview Township46 people
E
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Edens Township73 people
L
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Lake Hill Township47 people · $450K 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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