Compare towns
Darlington Township vs Oak Lake Township
133 miles apart. The biggest differences: work from home (+70 pts in Oak Lake Township) and trails (5.4× in Darlington Township).
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.
Darlington Township A small town of 86
Quiet strengths Darlington Township doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Darlington Township →
Oak Lake Township A small town of 109
Quiet strengths Oak Lake Township doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Oak Lake 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.
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
Darlington Township Oak Lake Township
Growing season (days) — 145d
Outdoors & history
Darlington Township Oak Lake Township
Community
Darlington Township Oak Lake Township
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 133 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Darlington Township ↔ Oak Lake Township 133 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.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Darlington Township Oak Lake Township
People
Population
86 Lowest
109 Highest
Median age
62.8 ±9.2 Highest
65% above SD
60 ±21.6 Lowest
58% above SD
Darlington Township and Oak Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
0% ±32.9 Lowest
SD: 24.2%
22.9% ±20.2 Highest
SD: 24.2%
Oak Lake Township and Darlington Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
47.7% ±47.8 Highest
SD: 18%
29.4% ±39.2 Lowest
SD: 18%
Darlington Township and Oak Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.8% Lowest
SD: 31.9%
20.2% Highest
SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±16.4
SD: 5%
0% ±13
SD: 5%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
— $133,125 ±$117k
77% above SD
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
— $277,700 ±$16k
8% above SD
Property taxmedian, yearly
— $1,866
31% below SD
Below poverty line
0%
SD: 11.9%
0%
SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
100%
SD: 68.6%
100%
SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
— 1973
7 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Work from home
0% ±11.6 Lowest
SD: 9.7%
70% ±33.3 Highest
SD: 9.7%
Work in townworking residents
0%
0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
8.3 mi Lowest
16.8 mi Highest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.23 Lowest
0.91 Highest
Top workplaceoutside town
Platte (43%) Brookings (49%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Oak Lake Township Few work in Darlington Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town
5.1% Highest
4.4% Lowest
Trailsmapped miles
10.3 mi Highest
1.9 mi Lowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.3 mi Highest
0.1 mi Lowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
0
0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
0.9 Lowest
1.1 Highest
South Dakota average“±” Census margin of error ACS 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.
Darlington Township or Oak Lake Township: which would you pick? →
What’s it really like to live in Darlington Township? →
Moving to Darlington Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Darlington Township’s Town Square.
Oak Lake Township or Darlington Township: which would you pick? →
What’s it really like to live in Oak Lake Township? →
Moving to Oak Lake Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Oak Lake Township’s Town Square.
Add a town Set another town beside Darlington Township and Oak Lake Township One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.
Bordering Darlington Township Towns like Darlington Township 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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