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Hudson vs Buffalo

389 miles apart. The biggest differences: work in town (+20.5 pts in Buffalo) and average commute (9 min in Buffalo).

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Hudson, SDA small town of 382South Dakota · 382 people

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Buffalo, SDHomes around $199KSouth Dakota · 278 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.

HudsonA small town of 382

Quiet strengthsHudson doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Hudson →

BuffaloHomes around $199K

Housing$199K typical home38% below the SD typical home All about Buffalo →

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.

Work in town+20.5 pts

More of Buffalo’s workers stay in town

Buffalo 24.1%Hudson 3.6%

Average commute9 min

Buffalo has the shorter commute

Hudson 20 minBuffalo 10 min

Property tax bill+33%

Tax bills are bigger in Buffalo

Buffalo $1,735Hudson $1,307

Street grid+62%

Hudson has the more walkable street grid

Hudson 156Buffalo 96.3

Typical home built15 yrs

Hudson’s homes are older

Buffalo 1953Hudson 1938

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $400 more a month in Buffalo

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%

Hudson$900/mo

Typical home $151K (Census) · tax rate 0.87% · Housing →

Buffalo$1,300/mo

Typical home $199K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.52% · or rent about $725/mo · Housing →

The difference: $400 a month, about $4,800 a year, between Buffalo and Hudson.

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

HudsonBuffalo

Snow a year34″51″

January low—9°F

July high—87°F

Growing season (days)—131d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)53rd 71st

Outdoors & history

HudsonBuffalo

Conserved land—0%

Settled—1909

National Register places1 1

Archive photos2 —

Famous people born here2 —

Community

HudsonBuffalo

Library hours a week15 hrs 20 hrs

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

389 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

HudsonSD BuffaloSD

Hudson ↔ Buffalo389 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

HudsonBuffalo

People

Population 382Highest 278Lowest

Median age 60.5±5.5Highest 59% above SD 57.2±6.6Lowest 51% above SD

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

Kids under 18 14.9%±7.6Highest SD: 24.2% 10.8%±8.1Lowest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 30.9%±10.9Highest SD: 18% 20.5%±7.4Lowest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14%Lowest SD: 31.9% 15.8%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.1%±3.6Highest SD: 5% 0.7%±3.7Lowest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $66,429±$15kLowest 12% below SD $85,104±$10kHighest 13% above SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $150,500±$57kHighest 42% below SD $114,100±$44kLowest 56% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly — $725±$321 23% below SD

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,307Lowest 52% below SD $1,735Highest 36% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 24.3%±28.6Highest SD: 39.8% 11.5%±66.9Lowest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 17%Highest SD: 11.9% 6.8%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 81.5%Lowest SD: 68.6% 82%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD 1953Highest 27 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minHighest 11% above SD 10 minLowest 42% below SD

Work from home 2.2%±2.6Lowest SD: 9.7% 5.5%±4.7Highest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 3.6%Lowest 24.1%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.3 miHighest 16.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.11Lowest 1.24Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (31%)Camp Crook (5%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BuffaloFew work in Hudson

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 156Highest 96.3Lowest

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.

Hudson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hudson’s Town Square.

Buffalo neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Buffalo’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Hudson and Buffalo

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Towns like Hudson

Gary246 people · $102K homes

Faith297 people · $151K homes

Wakonda399 people · $107K homes

Delmont183 people · $87K 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.