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Hoven vs Ashton

65 miles apart. The biggest differences: work from home (+35 pts in Ashton) and jobs per worker (4.3× in Hoven).

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Hoven, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 329 people

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Ashton, SDA small town of 204South Dakota · 204 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.

HovenKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 84%of SD districts All about Hoven →

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 part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Work from home+35 pts

More people work from home in Ashton

Ashton 39.1%Hoven 4.1%

Jobs per worker4.3×

Hoven is more of a job hub

Hoven 0.86Ashton 0.20

Street grid2.2×

Hoven has the more walkable street grid

Hoven 155Ashton 69.2

Typical home built33 yrs

Ashton’s homes are older

Hoven 1971Ashton 1938

Average commute8 min

Ashton has the shorter commute

Hoven 18 minAshton 10 min

Property tax bill+18%

Tax bills are bigger in Hoven

Hoven $1,406Ashton $1,194

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $160 more a month in Hoven

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%

Hoven$580/mo

Typical home $88K (Census) · tax rate 1.59% · Housing →

Ashton$420/mo

Typical home $61K (Census) · tax rate 1.96% · Housing →

The difference: $160 a month, about $1,900 a year, between Hoven 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.

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−HovenBetter than 84% of districts in the state –AshtonNot graded

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

HovenAshton

Snow a year33″43″

January low4°F 1°F

July high84°F 84°F

Growing season (days)145d 137d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)55th 30th

Outdoors & history

HovenAshton

Settled1883 1879

National Register places1 —

Archive photos4 1

Famous people born here2 1

Community

HovenAshton

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

65 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

HovenSD AshtonSD

Hoven ↔ Ashton65 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

HovenAshton

People

Population 329Highest 204Lowest

Median age 35.9±11.6Highest 6% below SD 31.5±19.1Lowest 17% below SD

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

Kids under 18 26.4%±6.2Lowest SD: 24.2% 38.2%±10.2Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 25.8%±9.2Highest SD: 18% 14.2%±12.1Lowest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.6%Lowest SD: 31.9% 19.6%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±4.3Lowest SD: 5% 3.4%±6.4Highest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $60,625±$22kHighest 19% below SD $54,712±$26kLowest 27% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $88,300±$15kHighest 66% below SD $60,800±$32kLowest 76% below SD

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,406Highest 48% below SD $1,194Lowest 56% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 30.4%±65.5Highest SD: 39.8% 0%±100Lowest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 6.9%Lowest SD: 11.9% 14.7%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 79.3%Lowest SD: 68.6% 86.2%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1971Highest 9 yrs older than SD 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minHighest about the SD average 10 minLowest 42% below SD

Work from home 4.1%±3.8Lowest SD: 9.7% 39.1%±22.8Highest SD: 9.7%

Work in townworking residents 5%Highest 2.4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 31.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.86Highest 0.20Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Gettysburg (40%)Redfield (15%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AshtonFew work in Hoven

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 155Highest 69.2Lowest

Schools

School district Hoven School District 53-2—

High school in town Hoven High School - 01—

Students per teacherat that high school 5.6 —

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.

Hoven neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hoven’s Town Square.

Ashton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ashton’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Hoven and Ashton

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Towns like Hoven

Trent341 people · $145K homes

Irene456 people · $87K homes

Alpena317 people · $52K homes

Mission Hill200 people · $104K 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.