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Chester Township vs Ramsey Township

70 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (18.3× in Chester Township) and typical home built (54 yrs in Chester Township).

C ×
Chester Township, SDAn outdoors townDouglas County · 145 people
R ×
Ramsey Township, SDA small town of 111McCook County · 111 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.

Chester TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors19.3% conserved land4.6 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves All about Chester Township →
Ramsey TownshipA small town of 111
Quiet strengthsRamsey Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Ramsey 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 worker18.3×
Chester Township is more of a job hub
Chester Township 2.38Ramsey Township 0.13
Typical home built54 yrs
Chester Township’s homes are older
Ramsey Township 1992Chester Township 1938
Conserved land+15.7 pts
Chester Township has more conserved land
Chester Township 19.3%Ramsey Township 3.6%
Average commute5 min
Chester Township has the shorter commute
Ramsey Township 53 minChester Township 48 min
★ What stands out · 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
–Chester TownshipNot graded BRamsey TownshipBetter than 60% of districts in the state
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
Chester TownshipRamsey Township
Snow a year34″31″
January low10°F—
July high88°F—
Growing season (days)157d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)35th52nd
Outdoors & history
Chester TownshipRamsey Township
Trails5 mi7 mi
Conserved land19.3%3.6%
Community
Chester TownshipRamsey 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

70 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Chester TownshipDouglas CountyRamsey TownshipMcCook County
Chester Township ↔ Ramsey Township70 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.

Chester TownshipRamsey Township
People
Population 145Highest 111Lowest
Median age 45.5±41.5Lowest 20% above SD 48.2±13.2Highest 27% above SD
Ramsey Township and Chester Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.3%±14.4Lowest SD: 24.2% 31.5%±26.3Highest SD: 24.2%
Ramsey Township and Chester Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 42.8%±20.1Highest SD: 18% 27%±22Lowest SD: 18%
Chester Township and Ramsey Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 27.7%Highest SD: 31.9% 21.6%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.3%±9.6Highest SD: 5% 0%±12.7Lowest SD: 5%
Chester Township and Ramsey Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $181,719±$38kHighest 142% above SD $123,125±$62kLowest 64% above SD
Chester Township and Ramsey Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied — $358,300±$124k 39% above SD
Property taxmedian, yearly — $3,500 28% above SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent — 100%±100 SD: 39.8%
Below poverty line 0%Lowest SD: 11.9% 4.5%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 92.9%Highest SD: 68.6% 90%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD 1992Highest 12 yrs newer than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 48 minLowest 171% above SD 53 minHighest 198% above SD
Work from home 14.3%±17.5Highest SD: 9.7% 3.4%±6.5Lowest SD: 9.7%
Chester Township and Ramsey Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.9%Highest 0%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.3 miHighest 20.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.38Highest 0.13Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Corsica (21%)Salem (26%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Ramsey TownshipFew work in Chester Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 19.3%Highest 3.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 4.6 miLowest 6.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.0Highest 0.8Lowest
Schools
School district —Montrose School District 43-2
High school in town —None in town
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.

Chester Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Chester Township’s Town Square.

Ramsey Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ramsey Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Chester Township

H
+ Compare
Howard Township208 people · $250K homes
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Iowa Township117 people · $347K homes
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Independence Township70 people · $383K homes
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Moore Township91 people · $111K homes

Towns like Chester Township

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Badger Township161 people · $172K homes
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East Rondell Township146 people · $247K homes
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+ Compare
Hidewood Township88 people · $220K homes
D
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Denver Township147 people · $413K 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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