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Emery vs Estelline

76 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+17% in Estelline) and average commute (4 min in Estelline).

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Emery, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 539 people

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Estelline, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 831 people

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.

EmeryKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 86%of SD districts All about Emery →

EstellineKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 31%of SD districts All about Estelline →

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+17%

Tax bills are bigger in Estelline

Estelline $2,194Emery $1,868

Average commute4 min

Estelline has the shorter commute

Emery 25 minEstelline 21 min

Typical home built13 yrs

Emery’s homes are older

Estelline 1964Emery 1951

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $870 more a month in Estelline

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%

Emery$950/mo

Typical home $152K (Census) · tax rate 1.23% · or rent about $675/mo · Housing →

Estelline$1,820/mo

Typical home $279K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.54% · or rent about $753/mo · Housing →

The difference: $870 a month, about $10,400 a year, between Estelline and Emery.

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

AEmeryBetter than 86% of districts in the state CEstellineBetter than 31% 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

EmeryEstelline

Snow a year36″36″

January low6°F 4°F

July high84°F 81°F

Growing season (days)143d 145d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)55th 58th

Outdoors & history

EmeryEstelline

National Register places—2

Community

EmeryEstelline

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

76 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

EmerySD EstellineSD

Emery ↔ Estelline76 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

EmeryEstelline

People

Population 539Lowest 831Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -2.5% SD: +8.9%

Median age 33.5±6Lowest 12% below SD 34.1±3.8Highest 10% below SD

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

Kids under 18 31.5%±3.5Highest SD: 24.2% 31%±3.8Lowest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 12.4%±2.4Lowest SD: 18% 15.9%±5.5Highest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.3%Highest SD: 31.9% 20.8%Lowest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.9%±1.4Lowest SD: 5% 2.2%±1.4Highest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $67,321±$11kLowest 10% below SD $78,438±$14kHighest 4% above SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $152,400±$17kHighest 41% below SD $142,200±$18kLowest 45% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $675±$350Lowest 29% below SD $753±$305Highest 20% below SD

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,868Lowest 31% below SD $2,194Highest 19% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 21.4%±39.4Lowest SD: 39.8% 54.5%±34.9Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 6.7%Lowest SD: 11.9% 7.6%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 85%Highest SD: 68.6% 82.2%Lowest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than SD 1964Highest 16 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 42% above SD 21 minLowest 17% above SD

Work from home 6.8%±3.2Highest SD: 9.7% 2.5%±1.7Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 6.5%Lowest 10.6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miLowest 23.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.90Highest 0.73Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Mitchell (28%)Watertown (19%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in EstellineFew work in Emery

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 7.8%Highest

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 86.0Highest 72.2Lowest

Schools

School district Bridgewater-Emery 30-3Estelline School District 28-2

High school in town Bridgewater-Emery High School - 01Estelline High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school 9.6Lowest 9.9Highest

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.

Emery neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Emery’s Town Square.

Estelline neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Estelline’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Emery

Pleasant Township174 people · $203K homes

Towns like Emery

Redfield Township462 people · $204K homes

Langford481 people · $125K homes

Castlewood804 people · $198K homes

Iroquois389 people · $156K 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.