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Compare towns

Elkton vs Wagner

121 miles apart. The biggest differences: work in town (+38.2 pts in Wagner) and rent (+55% in Elkton).

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Elkton, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 977 people
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Wagner, SDOne of the safest townsSouth Dakota · 1,529 people
Swap order
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.

ElktonKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 10%of SD districts All about Elkton →
WagnerOne of the safest towns
SafetySafer than 5%of U.S. towns we grade Work1,047 jobsbased in Wagner, a regional job hub Health90% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Wagner →
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.

Work in town+38.2 pts
More of Wagner’s workers stay in town
Wagner 42.7%Elkton 4.5%
Rent+55%
Rent runs higher in Elkton
Elkton $1,061Wagner $684
Home values+36%
Homes cost more in Elkton
Elkton $185,100Wagner $136,000
Jobs per worker2.4×
Wagner is more of a job hub
Wagner 2.06Elkton 0.87
Age 65++12.7 pts
Wagner has more people 65 and up
Wagner 19.6%Elkton 6.9%
Growth since 2010+7.5 pts
Elkton has grown faster since 2010
Elkton +2.6%Wagner -4.9%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,040 more a month in Elkton

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.

Elkton$1,880/mo
Typical home $305K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $1,061/mo · Housing →
Wagner$850/mo
Typical home $136K (Census) · tax rate 1.18% · or rent about $684/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,040 a month, about $12,400 a year, between Elkton and Wagner.

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.

Safety
–ElktonNot graded DWagnerSafer than 5% of U.S. towns
Schools
DElktonBetter than 10% of districts in the state CWagnerBetter than 26% of districts in the state
Health
–ElktonNot graded DWagnerHealthier than 10% of U.S. towns
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
ElktonWagner
Snow a year40″31″
January low4°F12°F
July high81°F87°F
Growing season (days)148d165d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)40th43rd
Outdoors & history
ElktonWagner
Settled18801900
National Register places1—
Archive photos33
Famous people born here33
Community
ElktonWagner
Library hours a week20 hrs38 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

121 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ElktonSDWagnerSD
Elkton ↔ Wagner121 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.

ElktonWagner
People
Population 977Lowest 1,529Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.6%Highest SD: +8.9% -4.9%Lowest SD: +8.9%
Median age 30.9±5.5Lowest 19% below SD 34.3±5.1Highest 10% below SD
Wagner and Elkton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 33.4%±8Highest SD: 24.2% 29.8%±5Lowest SD: 24.2%
Elkton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 6.9%±3.2Lowest SD: 18% 19.6%±4Highest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21.6%Lowest SD: 31.9% 22.6%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.2%±2.5Highest SD: 5% 2.2%±1.4Lowest SD: 5%
Elkton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $69,688±$22kHighest 7% below SD $47,462±$6kLowest 37% below SD
Elkton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $185,100±$24kHighest 28% below SD $136,000±$16kLowest 47% below SD
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,061±$249Highest 12% above SD $684±$127Lowest 28% below SD
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,058Highest 24% below SD $1,607Lowest 41% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 81.1%±65.2Highest SD: 39.8% 34.9%±11.9Lowest SD: 39.8%
Elkton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 26.7%Highest SD: 11.9% 15.7%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.3%Highest SD: 68.6% 55.5%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest 5 yrs older than SD 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 16 minHighest 9% below SD 12 minLowest 33% below SD
Work from home 5.7%±6Highest SD: 9.7% 0.9%±1Lowest SD: 9.7%
Elkton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.5%Lowest 42.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 miHighest 5.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.87Lowest 2.06Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Brookings (52%)Dante (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WagnerFew work in Elkton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 39.2Lowest 58.1Highest
Schools
School district Elkton School District 05-3Wagner Community School District 11-4
High school in town Elkton High School - 01Wagner High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 13.9Highest 11.7Lowest
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.

Elkton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elkton’s Town Square.

Wagner neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wagner’s Town Square.

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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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