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Bethel Township vs Lafoon Township

172 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (3.4× in Lafoon Township) and typical home built (33 yrs in Bethel Township).

B ×
Bethel Township, SDA small town of 89Clay County · 89 people
L ×
Lafoon Township, SDAn outdoors townFaulk County · 48 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.

Bethel TownshipA small town of 89
Quiet strengthsBethel Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Bethel Township →
Lafoon TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors16.7% conserved land9.5 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves All about Lafoon 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 worker3.4×
Lafoon Township is more of a job hub
Lafoon Township 0.93Bethel Township 0.27
Typical home built33 yrs
Bethel Township’s homes are older
Lafoon Township 1971Bethel Township 1938
Conserved land+16.6 pts
Lafoon Township has more conserved land
Lafoon Township 16.7%Bethel Township 0.1%
Property tax bill+27%
Tax bills are bigger in Lafoon Township
Lafoon Township $2,357Bethel Township $1,854
Street grid+44%
Bethel Township has the more walkable street grid
Bethel Township 1.3Lafoon Township 0.9
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
Bethel TownshipLafoon Township
Snow a year38″44″
January low10°F4°F
July high87°F85°F
Growing season (days)164d139d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)66th37th
Outdoors & history
Bethel TownshipLafoon Township
Trails8 mi10 mi
Conserved land0.1%16.7%
Community
Bethel TownshipLafoon 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

172 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Bethel TownshipClay CountyLafoon TownshipFaulk County
Bethel Township ↔ Lafoon Township172 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.

Bethel TownshipLafoon Township
People
Population 89Highest 48Lowest
Median age 59.4±12.8Lowest 56% above SD 61.4±17.8Highest 62% above SD
Lafoon Township and Bethel Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 5.6%±30.9Lowest SD: 24.2% 6.3%±56Highest SD: 24.2%
Lafoon Township and Bethel Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 29.2%±36.5Lowest SD: 18% 33.3%±56.1Highest SD: 18%
Lafoon Township and Bethel Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 38.8%Lowest SD: 31.9% 45.2%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±15.9 SD: 5% 0%±29.5 SD: 5%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $125,714±$90kHighest 67% above SD $70,000±$68kLowest 7% below SD
Bethel Township and Lafoon Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $181,300±$121k 30% below SD —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,854Lowest 32% below SD $2,357Highest 13% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 SD: 39.8% 0%±100 SD: 39.8%
Below poverty line 0% SD: 11.9% 0% SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 59.7%Highest SD: 68.6% 56.3%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD 1971Highest 9 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 min 34% above SD —
Work from home 11.1%±14.8Lowest SD: 9.7% 39.4%±28.9Highest SD: 9.7%
Lafoon Township and Bethel 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 18.3 miLowest 26.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.27Lowest 0.93Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Vermillion (22%)Faulkton (21%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Lafoon TownshipFew work in Bethel Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.1%Lowest 16.7%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 8.3 miLowest 9.5 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 1.3Highest 0.9Lowest
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.

Bethel Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bethel Township’s Town Square.

Lafoon Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lafoon Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Bethel Township

P
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Pleasant Valley Township99 people
M
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Meckling Township273 people · $277K homes
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Volin Township309 people · $409K homes
S
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Star Township98 people · $340K homes

Towns like Bethel Township

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Red Iron Lake Township142 people
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Nutley Township52 people
A
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Agar81 people · $114K homes
A
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Akaska104 people · $92K 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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