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Baltic vs Elk Point

75 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (3.3× in Elk Point) and work in town (+20.4 pts in Elk Point).

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Baltic, SDOne of the healthiest townsSouth Dakota · 1,502 people
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Elk Point, SDOne of the healthiest townsSouth Dakota · 2,537 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.

BalticOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 72%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$377K typical home17% above the SD typical home All about Baltic →
Elk PointOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 78%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$290K typical home10% below the SD typical home SafetySafer than 80%of U.S. towns we grade All about Elk Point →
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 worker3.3×
Elk Point is more of a job hub
Elk Point 0.80Baltic 0.24
Work in town+20.4 pts
More of Elk Point’s workers stay in town
Elk Point 22.3%Baltic 1.9%
Age 65++9.5 pts
Elk Point has more people 65 and up
Elk Point 17.7%Baltic 8.2%
Growth since 2010+4.9 pts
Baltic has grown faster since 2010
Baltic +14.4%Elk Point +9.5%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $500 more a month in Baltic

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.

Baltic$2,360/mo
Typical home $377K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.22% · or rent about $1,232/mo · Housing →
Elk Point$1,860/mo
Typical home $290K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.40% · Housing →

The difference: $500 a month, about $6,000 a year, between Baltic and Elk Point.

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 South Dakota ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
–BalticNot graded A−Elk PointSafer than 80% of U.S. towns
Schools
BBalticBetter than 58% of districts in the state BElk PointBetter than 55% of districts in the state
Health
B+BalticHealthier than 72% of U.S. towns A−Elk PointHealthier than 78% 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
BalticElk Point
Snow a year40″36″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)32nd45th
Outdoors & history
BalticElk Point
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled—1873
National Register places—1
Archive photos—6
Community
BalticElk Point
Library hours a week13 hrs32 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

75 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BalticSDElk PointSD
Baltic ↔ Elk Point75 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.

BalticElk Point
People
Population 1,502Lowest 2,537Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +14.4%Highest SD: +8.9% +9.5%Lowest SD: +8.9%
Median age 29.3±1.7Lowest 23% below SD 35.5±5.4Highest 7% below SD
Elk Point and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 37.6%±3.6Highest SD: 24.2% 29.5%±4.7Lowest SD: 24.2%
Baltic and Elk Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 8.2%±1.8Lowest SD: 18% 17.7%±4.6Highest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24.7%Lowest SD: 31.9% 29.4%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±1.9Highest SD: 5% 2.4%±1.7Lowest SD: 5%
Baltic and Elk Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $107,768±$12kHighest 44% above SD $90,473±$12kLowest 21% above SD
Baltic and Elk Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $254,200±$24kHighest about the SD average $248,500±$20kLowest 3% below SD
Baltic and Elk Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,232±$748 30% above SD —
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,111Lowest 14% above SD $3,470Highest 27% above SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 7.6%±19.8Lowest SD: 39.8% 61.2%±35.3Highest SD: 39.8%
Elk Point and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 1.2%Lowest SD: 11.9% 8.5%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 81.1%Highest SD: 68.6% 78.4%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1997Highest 17 yrs newer than SD 1991Lowest 11 yrs newer than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 25% above SD 21 minLowest 17% above SD
Work from home 7%±2.8Lowest SD: 9.7% 7.9%±3.7Highest SD: 9.7%
Elk Point and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.9%Lowest 22.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miLowest 15.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.24Lowest 0.80Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (55%)Sioux Falls (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Elk PointFew work in Baltic
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 73.3Highest 68.3Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#23 of 34 in SD
School district Baltic School District 49-1Elk Point-Jefferson School District 61-7
High school in town Baltic High School - 01Elk Point-Jefferson High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 14.1Highest 13.7Lowest
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.

Baltic neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Baltic’s Town Square.

Elk Point neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elk Point’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Baltic and Elk Point

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Bordering Baltic

S
+ Compare
Sverdrup Township861 people · $368K homes
+ Compare
Dell Rapids Township704 people · $391K homes

Towns like Baltic

B
+ Compare
Beresford2,360 people · $234K homes
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Parker1,280 people · $231K homes
M
+ Compare
Medary Township1,452 people · $312K homes
E
+ Compare
Estelline831 people · $142K 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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