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%

Colton$2,080/mo

Typical home $337K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $736/mo · Housing →

Oacoma$1,020/mo

Typical home $172K (Census) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $883/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,060 a month, about $12,700 a year, between Colton 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.

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

ColtonOacoma

Snow a year40″43″

January low—9°F

July high—87°F

Growing season (days)—156d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)31st 85th

Outdoors & history

ColtonOacoma

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land0%—

Community

ColtonOacoma

Library hours a week12 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

122 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColtonSD OacomaSD

Colton ↔ Oacoma122 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

ColtonOacoma

People

Population 736Highest 548Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.4% SD: +8.9% —

Median age 41.3±4.9Highest 9% above SD 40.2±6.3Lowest 6% above SD

Colton and Oacoma 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% 25.4%±7.7Lowest SD: 24.2%

Colton and Oacoma 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% 26.6%±5.8Highest SD: 18%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.6%Lowest SD: 31.9% 18.8%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2%±1.5Lowest SD: 5% 3.5%±3.4Highest SD: 5%

Oacoma 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 $73,333±$26kLowest about the SD average

Colton and Oacoma 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 $171,700±$82kLowest 33% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $736±$143Lowest 22% below SD $883±$105Highest 7% below SD

Oacoma and Colton 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 $1,494Lowest 45% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 28.9%±33Highest SD: 39.8% 23.4%±51.5Lowest SD: 39.8%

Colton and Oacoma 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% 5.5%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 68.1%Lowest SD: 68.6% 77.7%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than SD 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 46% above SD 15 minLowest 16% below SD

Work from home 8%±3.9Highest SD: 9.7% 6.1%±7.1Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 1.3%Lowest 7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miLowest 34.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.18Lowest 1.49Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (51%)Presho (10%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in OacomaFew work in Colton

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 59.6%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.8 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 77.6Highest 11.9Lowest

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.

Colton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colton’s Town Square.

Oacoma neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Oacoma’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Colton and Oacoma

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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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Burke708 people · $150K 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.

Colton vs Oacoma

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $1,060 more a month in Colton

What daily life feels like in each

122 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Colton and Oacoma

Towns like Colton

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