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Compare towns

Groton vs Aurora

106 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+102.1 pts in Aurora) and jobs per worker (4.3× in Groton).

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Groton, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 1,691 people
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Aurora, SDOne of the healthiest townsSouth Dakota · 1,444 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.

GrotonKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 80%of SD districts HealthHealthier than 78%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$250K typical home22% below the SD typical home All about Groton →
AuroraOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 77%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Aurora →
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.

Growth since 2010+102.1 pts
Aurora has grown faster since 2010
Aurora +96.8%Groton -5.3%
Jobs per worker4.3×
Groton is more of a job hub
Groton 0.69Aurora 0.16
Typical home built35 yrs
Groton’s homes are older
Aurora 2010Groton 1975
Work from home+7.6 pts
More people work from home in Aurora
Aurora 11.4%Groton 3.8%
Age 65++7.5 pts
Groton has more people 65 and up
Groton 13%Aurora 5.5%
Work in town+11.1 pts
More of Groton’s workers stay in town
Groton 12.2%Aurora 1.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $340 more a month in Aurora

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.

Groton$1,600/mo
Typical home $250K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.38% · or rent about $981/mo · Housing →
Aurora$1,930/mo
Typical home $307K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.26% · or rent about $840/mo · Housing →

The difference: $340 a month, about $4,000 a year, between Aurora and Groton.

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
A−GrotonBetter than 80% of districts in the state –AuroraNot graded
Health
A−GrotonHealthier than 78% of U.S. towns A−AuroraHealthier than 77% 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
GrotonAurora
Snow a year32″36″
January low—4°F
July high—81°F
Growing season (days)—145d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)38th40th
Outdoors & history
GrotonAurora
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Settled1888—
National Register places3—
Community
GrotonAurora
Library hours a week43 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

106 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

GrotonSDAuroraSD
Groton ↔ Aurora106 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.

GrotonAurora
People
Population 1,691Highest 1,444Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.3%Lowest SD: +8.9% +96.8%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 33.9±4.2Highest 11% below SD 29±2.4Lowest 24% below SD
Groton and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.6%±5.3Highest SD: 24.2% 27.1%±5.8Lowest SD: 24.2%
Groton and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13%±4.1Highest SD: 18% 5.5%±1.8Lowest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35.5%Lowest SD: 31.9% 42.8%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±1.3Lowest SD: 5% 12.6%±10.1Highest SD: 5%
Aurora and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $89,861±$25kLowest 20% above SD $95,952±$9kHighest 28% above SD
Aurora and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $190,600±$43kLowest 26% below SD $234,600±$17kHighest 9% below SD
Aurora and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $981±$70Highest 4% above SD $840±$192Lowest 11% below SD
Groton and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,631Lowest 3% below SD $2,951Highest 8% above SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 39.2%±18.4Highest SD: 39.8% 30.7%±19.9Lowest SD: 39.8%
Groton and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.3%Highest SD: 11.9% 2.7%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.1%Lowest SD: 68.6% 75%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than SD 2010Highest 30 yrs newer than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minHighest 6% below SD 17 minLowest 7% below SD
Work from home 3.8%±1.6Lowest SD: 9.7% 11.4%±5.3Highest SD: 9.7%
Work in townworking residents 12.2%Highest 1.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miHighest 5.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.69Highest 0.16Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Aberdeen (38%)Brookings (55%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AuroraFew work in Groton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 72.4Highest 63.8Lowest
Schools
School district Groton Area School District 06-6—
High school in town Groton Area High School - 01—
Students per teacherat that high school 12.5 —
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.

Groton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Groton’s Town Square.

Aurora neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Aurora’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Groton

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Beresford2,360 people · $234K 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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