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Compare towns

Chamberlain vs Oacoma

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: conserved land (+37.2 pts in Oacoma) and property tax bill (+67% in Chamberlain).

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Chamberlain, SDAn outdoors townSouth Dakota · 2,588 people
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Oacoma, SDA small town of 548South Dakota · 548 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.

ChamberlainAn outdoors town
Outdoors#1 most conserved land in SD1.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves Health56% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$263K typical home18% below the SD typical home All about Chamberlain →
OacomaA small town of 548
Quiet strengthsOacoma doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Oacoma →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Conserved land+37.2 pts
Oacoma has more conserved land
Oacoma 59.6%Chamberlain 22.4%
Property tax bill+67%
Tax bills are bigger in Chamberlain
Chamberlain $2,498Oacoma $1,494
Work in town+31 pts
More of Chamberlain’s workers stay in town
Chamberlain 38%Oacoma 7%
Size4.7×
Chamberlain is the bigger place
Chamberlain 2,588Oacoma 548
Street grid2.3×
Chamberlain has the more walkable street grid
Chamberlain 27.3Oacoma 11.9
Bachelor’s degree++14.5 pts
More adults in Chamberlain have a degree
Chamberlain 33.3%Oacoma 18.8%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $600 more a month in Chamberlain

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.

Chamberlain$1,620/mo
Typical home $263K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $818/mo · Housing →
Oacoma$1,020/mo
Typical home $172K (Census) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $883/mo · Housing →

The difference: $600 a month, about $7,100 a year, between Chamberlain and Oacoma.

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.

Where they are

Chamberlain and Oacoma share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

ChamberlainOacomaChamberlainOacoma
Chamberlain ↔ Oacoma1.9 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
55 Chamberlain residents work in Oacoma (5.2% of its workers)
9 Oacoma residents work in Chamberlain (6.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Chamberlain →
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.

Schools
CChamberlainBetter than 30% of districts in the state –OacomaNot graded
Health
C+ChamberlainHealthier than 44% of U.S. towns –OacomaNot graded
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
ChamberlainOacoma
Snow a year43″43″
January low9°F9°F
July high87°F87°F
Growing season (days)156d156d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th85th
Outdoors & history
ChamberlainOacoma
Trails1 mi—
Conserved land22.4%—
Settled1881—
National Register places2—
Archive photos12—
Famous people born here7—
Community
ChamberlainOacoma
Library hours a week42 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.

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.

ChamberlainOacoma
People
Population 2,588Highest 548Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.6% SD: +8.9% —
Median age 43±7.3Highest 13% above SD 40.2±6.3Lowest 6% above SD
Chamberlain and Oacoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.1%±3.9Lowest SD: 24.2% 25.4%±7.7Highest SD: 24.2%
Oacoma and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.7%±3.4Lowest SD: 18% 26.6%±5.8Highest SD: 18%
Oacoma and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 33.3%Highest SD: 31.9% 18.8%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.2%±0.8Lowest SD: 5% 3.5%±3.4Highest SD: 5%
Oacoma and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $76,761±$8kHighest about the SD average $73,333±$26kLowest about the SD average
Chamberlain and Oacoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $224,300±$24kHighest 13% below SD $171,700±$82kLowest 33% below SD
Chamberlain and Oacoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $818±$270Lowest 14% below SD $883±$105Highest 7% below SD
Oacoma and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,498Highest 8% below SD $1,494Lowest 45% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.7%±12.5Highest SD: 39.8% 23.4%±51.5Lowest SD: 39.8%
Chamberlain and Oacoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.1%Highest SD: 11.9% 5.5%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68.2%Lowest SD: 68.6% 77.7%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than SD 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 14 minLowest 22% below SD 15 minHighest 16% below SD
Work from home 4.6%±3.2Lowest SD: 9.7% 6.1%±7.1Highest SD: 9.7%
Oacoma and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 38%Highest 7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miLowest 34.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.14Lowest 1.49Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (9%)Presho (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 5% work in Oacoma6% work in Chamberlain
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 22.4%Lowest 59.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miHighest 0.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 27.3Highest 11.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #18 of 34 in SD—
School district Chamberlain School District 07-1—
High school in town Chamberlain High School - 01—
Students per teacherat that high school 10.6 —
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.

Chamberlain neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Chamberlain’s Town Square.

Oacoma neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Oacoma’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Chamberlain

C
+ Compare
Chamberlain Township307 people · $287K homes

Towns like Chamberlain

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Mobridge2,932 people · $137K homes
H
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Hartford3,478 people · $258K homes
M
+ Compare
Miller1,363 people · $155K homes
P
+ Compare
Parkston1,874 people · $157K 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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