Compare towns
Artesian vs Ashton
74 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (16 min in Ashton).
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Ashton, SD A small town of 204 South Dakota · 204 people
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.
Artesian A small town of 148
Quiet strengths Artesian doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Artesian →
Ashton A small town of 204
Quiet strengths Ashton doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Ashton →
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.
★ What stands out · Monthly cost A typical home costs about the same each month 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 payment3.5% 10% 20% Rate %
Artesian $550 /mo
Typical home $88K (Census) · tax rate 1.21% · or rent about $783/mo · Housing →
Ashton $420 /mo
Typical home $61K (Census) · tax rate 1.96% · Housing →
The difference: $130 a month , about $1,500 a year , between Artesian and Ashton.
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.
Outdoors & history
Artesian Ashton
Famous people born here — 1
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 74 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Artesian ↔ Ashton 74 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.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Artesian Ashton
People
Population
148 Lowest
204 Highest
Median age
35.4 ±9.7 Highest
7% below SD
31.5 ±19.1 Lowest
17% below SD
Artesian and Ashton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
35.1% ±10.3 Lowest
SD: 24.2%
38.2% ±10.2 Highest
SD: 24.2%
Ashton and Artesian are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
13.5% ±16 Lowest
SD: 18%
14.2% ±12.1 Highest
SD: 18%
Ashton and Artesian are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.1% Lowest
SD: 31.9%
19.6% Highest
SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±9.6 Lowest
SD: 5%
3.4% ±6.4 Highest
SD: 5%
Ashton and Artesian are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$61,806 ±$25k Highest
18% below SD
$54,712 ±$26k Lowest
27% below SD
Artesian and Ashton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$87,500 ±$56k Highest
66% below SD
$60,800 ±$32k Lowest
76% below SD
Artesian and Ashton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$783 ±$230
17% below SD
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,058 Lowest
61% below SD
$1,194 Highest
56% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
83.3% ±100 Highest
SD: 39.8%
0% ±100 Lowest
SD: 39.8%
Artesian and Ashton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.1% Lowest
SD: 11.9%
14.7% Highest
SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
89.1% Highest
SD: 68.6%
86.2% Lowest
SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1943 Highest
37 yrs older than SD
1938 Lowest
42 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 min Highest
48% above SD
10 min Lowest
42% below SD
Work from home
10.2% ±14.2 Lowest
SD: 9.7%
39.1% ±22.8 Highest
SD: 9.7%
Ashton and Artesian are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents
0% Lowest
2.4% Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
20.3 mi Lowest
31.8 mi Highest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.16 Lowest
0.20 Highest
Top workplaceoutside town
Woonsocket (19%) Redfield (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Ashton Few work in Artesian
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town
0%
0%
Trailsmapped miles
0.0 mi Lowest
0.2 mi Highest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.0 mi Lowest
0.5 mi Highest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
0
0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
92.2 Highest
69.2 Lowest
South Dakota average“±” Census margin of error ACS 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.
Artesian or Ashton: which would you pick? →
What’s it really like to live in Artesian? →
Moving to Artesian: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Artesian’s Town Square.
Ashton or Artesian: which would you pick? →
What’s it really like to live in Ashton? →
Moving to Ashton: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Ashton’s Town Square.
Add a town Set another town beside Artesian and Ashton One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.
Towns like Artesian 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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