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Goose Lake Township vs Ashton

123 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (149× in Goose Lake Township) and street grid (115.3× in Ashton).

G ×
Goose Lake Township, SDA small town of 167Charles Mix County · 167 people
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Ashton, SDA small town of 204South Dakota · 204 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.

Goose Lake TownshipA small town of 167
Quiet strengthsGoose Lake Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Goose Lake Township →
AshtonA small town of 204
Quiet strengthsAshton doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Ashton →
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.

Trails149×
Goose Lake Township has more miles of trail
Goose Lake Township 29.8 miAshton 0.2 mi
Street grid115.3×
Ashton has the more walkable street grid
Ashton 69.2Goose Lake Township 0.6
Jobs per worker2.2×
Ashton is more of a job hub
Ashton 0.20Goose Lake Township 0.09
Typical home built27 yrs
Ashton’s homes are older
Goose Lake Township 1965Ashton 1938
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $310 more a month in Goose Lake Township

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.

Goose Lake Township$730/mo
Typical home $118K (Census) · tax rate 1.13% · Housing →
Ashton$420/mo
Typical home $61K (Census) · tax rate 1.96% · Housing →

The difference: $310 a month, about $3,700 a year, between Goose Lake Township and Ashton.

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
Goose Lake TownshipAshton
Snow a year31″43″
January low12°F1°F
July high87°F84°F
Growing season (days)165d137d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)47th30th
Outdoors & history
Goose Lake TownshipAshton
Trails30 mi—
Conserved land7%—
Settled—1879
Archive photos—1
Famous people born here—1
Community
Goose Lake TownshipAshton
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

123 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Goose Lake TownshipCharles Mix CountyAshtonSD
Goose Lake Township ↔ Ashton123 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.

Goose Lake TownshipAshton
People
Population 167Lowest 204Highest
Median age 33.8±18.5Highest 11% below SD 31.5±19.1Lowest 17% below SD
Goose Lake Township and Ashton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 36.5%±28.1Lowest SD: 24.2% 38.2%±10.2Highest SD: 24.2%
Ashton and Goose Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.2%±18.7Lowest SD: 18% 14.2%±12.1Highest SD: 18%
Ashton and Goose Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.9%Lowest SD: 31.9% 19.6%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.4%±9.3Highest SD: 5% 3.4%±6.4Lowest SD: 5%
Goose Lake Township and Ashton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $46,875±$39kLowest 38% below SD $54,712±$26kHighest 27% below SD
Ashton and Goose Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $117,500±$81kHighest 54% below SD $60,800±$32kLowest 76% below SD
Goose Lake Township and Ashton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,333Highest 51% below SD $1,194Lowest 56% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent — 0%±100 SD: 39.8%
Below poverty line 28.7%Highest SD: 11.9% 14.7%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 83%Lowest SD: 68.6% 86.2%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1965Highest 15 yrs older than SD 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 10 minLowest 43% below SD 10 minHighest 42% below SD
Work from home 19.4%±9.8Lowest SD: 9.7% 39.1%±22.8Highest SD: 9.7%
Ashton and Goose Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 2.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 31.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.09Lowest 0.20Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Lake Andes (18%)Redfield (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AshtonFew work in Goose Lake Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 29.8 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 mi 0.5 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.6Lowest 69.2Highest
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.

Goose Lake Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Goose Lake Township’s Town Square.

Ashton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ashton’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Goose Lake Township and Ashton

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Goose Lake Township

J
+ Compare
Jackson Township74 people · $233K homes
W
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White Swan Township589 people · $250K homes
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Moore Township91 people · $111K homes
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Howard Township208 people · $250K homes

Towns like Goose Lake Township

A
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Artesian148 people · $88K homes
S
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Spencer103 people · $156K homes
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Hoven329 people · $88K homes
L
+ Compare
Letcher171 people · $102K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks South Dakota towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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