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Compare towns

Florence vs Pukwana

127 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (2.5× in Florence) and property tax bill (+45% in Florence).

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Florence, SDHomes around $526KSouth Dakota · 317 people
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Pukwana, SDAn outdoors townSouth Dakota · 300 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.

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.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $2,610 more a month in Florence

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.

Florence$3,230/mo
Typical home $526K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.08% · or rent about $817/mo · Housing →
Pukwana$620/mo
Typical home $100K (Census) · tax rate 1.18% · or rent about $1,063/mo · Housing →

The difference: $2,610 a month, about $31,300 a year, between Florence and Pukwana.

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.

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
FlorencePukwana
Snow a year32″43″
January low2°F9°F
July high82°F87°F
Growing season (days)143d156d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th65th
Outdoors & history
FlorencePukwana
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—21.3%
Settled—1881
National Register places11
Archive photos2—
Famous people born here1—
Community
FlorencePukwana
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

127 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Florence ↔ Pukwana127 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.

FlorencePukwana
People
Population 317Highest 300Lowest
Median age 51.3±16Lowest 35% above SD 52.3±14.7Highest 38% above SD
Pukwana and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.3%±2.8Highest SD: 24.2% 17.3%±9.4Lowest SD: 24.2%
Florence and Pukwana are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.1%±4.7Highest SD: 18% 19.7%±9.7Lowest SD: 18%
Florence and Pukwana are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 8%Lowest SD: 31.9% 13.4%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±4.5 SD: 5% 0%±4.7 SD: 5%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $75,909±$9kHighest about the SD average $63,750±$28kLowest 15% below SD
Florence and Pukwana are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $158,700±$14kHighest 38% below SD $100,000±$71kLowest 61% below SD
Florence and Pukwana are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $817±$186Lowest 14% below SD $1,063±$126Highest 12% above SD
Pukwana and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,708Highest 37% below SD $1,175Lowest 57% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 5.9%±100Lowest SD: 39.8% 52.2%±65.4Highest SD: 39.8%
Pukwana and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9.8%Highest SD: 11.9% 2.3%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 85.5%Highest SD: 68.6% 81.9%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than SD 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 41% above SD 15 minLowest 16% below SD
Work from home 4%±3.7Lowest SD: 9.7% 5.8%±6.6Highest SD: 9.7%
Pukwana and Florence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.7%Lowest 1.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miHighest 11.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.33Highest 0.13Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Watertown (52%)Kimball (23%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PukwanaFew work in Florence
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 21.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 60.5Highest 33.9Lowest
Schools
School district Florence School District 14-1—
High school in town Florence High School - 01—
Students per teacherat that high school 10.9 —
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.

Florence neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Florence’s Town Square.

Pukwana neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pukwana’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Florence

Towns like Florence

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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