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Compare towns

Elk Point vs Beresford

28 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+50% in Elk Point) and typical home built (18 yrs in Beresford).

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Elk Point, SDOne of the healthiest townsSouth Dakota · 2,537 people
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Beresford, SDOne of the healthiest townsSouth Dakota · 2,360 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.

Elk PointOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 78%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$290K typical home10% below the SD typical home SafetySafer than 80%of U.S. towns we grade All about Elk Point →
BeresfordOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 75%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates HistorySettled in 18844 places on the National Register All about Beresford →
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.

Property tax bill+50%
Tax bills are bigger in Elk Point
Elk Point $3,470Beresford $2,313
Typical home built18 yrs
Beresford’s homes are older
Elk Point 1991Beresford 1973
★ 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.

Safety
A−Elk PointSafer than 80% of U.S. towns B−BeresfordSafer than 54% of U.S. towns
Schools
BElk PointBetter than 55% of districts in the state B−BeresfordBetter than 51% of districts in the state
Health
A−Elk PointHealthier than 78% of U.S. towns A−BeresfordHealthier than 75% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Elk Point$1,860/mo
Typical home $290K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.40% · Housing →
Beresford$1,990/mo
Typical home $328K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.99% · or rent about $914/mo · Housing →

The difference: $130 a month, about $1,600 a year, between Beresford and Elk Point.

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
Elk PointBeresford
Snow a year36″31″
January low—7°F
July high—84°F
Growing season (days)—151d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)45th41st
Outdoors & history
Elk PointBeresford
Trails—3 mi
Conserved land—0%
Settled18731884
National Register places14
Archive photos6—
Community
Elk PointBeresford
Library hours a week32 hrs43 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

28 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Elk PointBeresfordElk PointBeresford
Elk Point ↔ Beresford28 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.

Elk PointBeresford
People
Population 2,537Highest 2,360Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +9.5%Highest SD: +8.9% +8.7%Lowest SD: +8.9%
Median age 35.5±5.4 7% below SD 35.5±6.4 7% below SD
Kids under 18 29.5%±4.7Lowest SD: 24.2% 30.4%±3.9Highest SD: 24.2%
Beresford and Elk Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.7%±4.6Lowest SD: 18% 18.6%±2.8Highest SD: 18%
Beresford and Elk Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29.4%Highest SD: 31.9% 28%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.4%±1.7 SD: 5% 2.4%±1.5 SD: 5%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $90,473±$12kHighest 21% above SD $78,793±$9kLowest 5% above SD
Elk Point and Beresford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $248,500±$20kHighest 3% below SD $234,400±$22kLowest 9% below SD
Elk Point and Beresford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $914±$206 3% below SD
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,470Highest 27% above SD $2,313Lowest 15% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.2%±35.3Highest SD: 39.8% 19.6%±12Lowest SD: 39.8%
Elk Point and Beresford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.5%Highest SD: 11.9% 5.2%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 78.4%Lowest SD: 68.6% 80.4%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than SD 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 17% above SD 22 minHighest 22% above SD
Work from home 7.9%±3.7Highest SD: 9.7% 3.8%±2Lowest SD: 9.7%
Elk Point and Beresford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 22.3%Highest 15.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 miLowest 27.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.80Lowest 0.91Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (13%)Sioux Falls (27%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BeresfordFew work in Elk Point
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 2.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 68.3Lowest 90.1Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #23 of 34 in SD—
School district Elk Point-Jefferson School District 61-7Beresford School District 61-2
High school in town Elk Point-Jefferson High School - 01Beresford High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 13.7Lowest 14.8Highest
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.

Elk Point neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elk Point’s Town Square.

Beresford neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Beresford’s Town Square.

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Towns like Elk Point

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Lennox2,468 people · $236K homes
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Hartford3,478 people · $258K homes
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Groton1,691 people · $191K homes
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Summerset3,022 people · $368K 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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