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Compare towns

Colton vs Burke

126 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (8.3× in Burke) and property tax bill (+60% in Colton).

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Colton, SDA small town of 736South Dakota · 736 people
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Burke, SDA regional job hubSouth Dakota · 708 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.

ColtonA small town of 736
Quiet strengthsColton doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Colton →
BurkeA regional job hub
Work390 jobsbased in Burke, a regional job hub All about Burke →
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.

Jobs per worker8.3×
Burke is more of a job hub
Burke 1.50Colton 0.18
Property tax bill+60%
Tax bills are bigger in Colton
Colton $2,185Burke $1,369
Average commute14 min
Burke has the shorter commute
Colton 26 minBurke 12 min
Work in town+24.9 pts
More of Burke’s workers stay in town
Burke 26.2%Colton 1.3%
Growth since 2010+12.2 pts
Colton has grown faster since 2010
Colton +7.4%Burke -4.8%
Age 65++7.8 pts
Burke has more people 65 and up
Burke 24.4%Colton 16.6%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,180 more a month in Colton

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.

Colton$2,080/mo
Typical home $337K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $736/mo · Housing →
Burke$900/mo
Typical home $150K (Census) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $525/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,180 a month, about $14,200 a year, between Colton and Burke.

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.

Schools
–ColtonNot graded BBurkeBetter 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
ColtonBurke
Snow a year40″45″
January low—10°F
July high—87°F
Growing season (days)—149d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)31st43rd
Outdoors & history
ColtonBurke
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled—1904
National Register places—1
Archive photos—1
Famous people born here—5
Community
ColtonBurke
Library hours a week12 hrs20 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

126 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColtonSDBurkeSD
Colton ↔ Burke126 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.

ColtonBurke
People
Population 736Highest 708Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.4%Highest SD: +8.9% -4.8%Lowest SD: +8.9%
Median age 41.3±4.9Lowest 9% above SD 43.7±5.4Highest 15% above SD
Burke and Colton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.2%±5.8Highest SD: 24.2% 23.3%±4.5Lowest SD: 24.2%
Colton and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.6%±1.6Lowest SD: 18% 24.4%±2.6Highest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.6%Lowest SD: 31.9% 21.1%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2%±1.5Lowest SD: 5% 3.4%±3.9Highest SD: 5%
Burke and Colton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $83,750±$28kHighest 12% above SD $52,500±$13kLowest 30% below SD
Colton and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $192,900±$33kHighest 25% below SD $150,000±$31kLowest 42% below SD
Colton and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $736±$143Highest 22% below SD $525±$120Lowest 45% below SD
Colton and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,185Highest 20% below SD $1,369Lowest 50% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 28.9%±33Highest SD: 39.8% 13.8%±18.4Lowest SD: 39.8%
Colton and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 14.3%Highest SD: 11.9% 8.1%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68.1%Lowest SD: 68.6% 71.8%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than SD 1966Highest 14 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 46% above SD 12 minLowest 34% below SD
Work from home 8%±3.9Highest SD: 9.7% 3.3%±2.4Lowest SD: 9.7%
Colton and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.3%Lowest 26.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miHighest 16.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.18Lowest 1.50Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (51%)Gregory (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BurkeFew work in Colton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.1 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 77.6Lowest 118Highest
Schools
School district —South Central School District 26-5 · Burke School District 26-2
High school in town —Burke High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school — 12.2
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.

Colton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colton’s Town Square.

Burke neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Burke’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Colton

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Arlington920 people · $144K homes
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Big Stone City706 people · $151K homes
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Oacoma548 people · $172K homes
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Alcester989 people · $126K 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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