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%

Buffalo$1,300/mo

Typical home $199K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.52% · or rent about $725/mo · Housing →

South Shore$3,230/mo

Typical home $530K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.02% · or rent about $642/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,940 a month, about $23,200 a year, between South Shore and Buffalo.

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

BuffaloSouth Shore

Snow a year51″59″

January low9°F 2°F

July high87°F 82°F

Growing season (days)131d 136d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)71st 59th

Outdoors & history

BuffaloSouth Shore

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land0%—

Settled1909 —

National Register places1 —

Community

BuffaloSouth Shore

Library hours a week20 hrs —

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

323 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BuffaloSD South ShoreSD

Buffalo ↔ South Shore323 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

BuffaloSouth Shore

People

Population 278Highest 183Lowest

Median age 57.2±6.6Highest 51% above SD 54.8±16.4Lowest 44% above SD

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

Kids under 18 10.8%±8.1Lowest SD: 24.2% 19.1%±13.8Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 20.5%±7.4Lowest SD: 18% 28.4%±17.4Highest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.8%Highest SD: 31.9% 13.8%Lowest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.7%±3.7Highest SD: 5% 0.5%±6.1Lowest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $85,104±$10kHighest 13% above SD $56,944±$10kLowest 24% below SD

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $114,100±$44kHighest 56% below SD $86,800±$22kLowest 66% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $725±$321Highest 23% below SD $642±$97Lowest 32% below SD

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,735Highest 36% below SD $884Lowest 68% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 11.5%±66.9Lowest SD: 39.8% 40%±100Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 6.8%Lowest SD: 11.9% 20%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82%Lowest SD: 68.6% 86.7%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than SD 1963Highest 17 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 10 minLowest 42% below SD 24 minHighest 35% above SD

Work from home 5.5%±4.7Highest SD: 9.7% 0%±9.1Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 24.1%Highest 0%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.3 miLowest 17.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.24Highest 0.16Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Camp Crook (5%)Watertown (61%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in South ShoreFew work in Buffalo

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.9%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 96.3Highest 19.4Lowest

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.

Buffalo neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Buffalo’s Town Square.

South Shore neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to South Shore’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Buffalo and South Shore

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

Towns like Buffalo

+ Compare

Hudson382 people · $151K homes

+ Compare

Wakonda399 people · $107K homes

+ Compare

Pukwana300 people · $100K homes

+ Compare

Gary246 people · $102K 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.

Buffalo vs South Shore

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $1,940 more a month in South Shore

What daily life feels like in each

323 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Buffalo and South Shore

Towns like Buffalo

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