Compare towns

Hurley vs Jefferson

54 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+61% in Jefferson) and jobs per worker (2.5× in Hurley).

Hurley, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 394 people

Jefferson, SDHomes around $399KSouth Dakota · 554 people

Swap order

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.

HurleyKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 18%of SD districts

HistorySettled in 18833 places on the National Register All about Hurley →

JeffersonHomes around $399K

Housing$399K typical home24% above the SD typical home

HistorySettled in 18591 place on the National Register All about Jefferson →

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.

Home values+61%

Homes cost more in Jefferson

Jefferson $179,400Hurley $111,200

Jobs per worker2.5×

Hurley is more of a job hub

Hurley 0.28Jefferson 0.11

Property tax bill+31%

Tax bills are bigger in Jefferson

Jefferson $2,284Hurley $1,742

Typical home built23 yrs

Hurley’s homes are older

Jefferson 1974Hurley 1951

Average commute6 min

Jefferson has the shorter commute

Hurley 28 minJefferson 22 min

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $610 more a month in Jefferson

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%

Hurley$1,910/mo

Typical home $291K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.57% · or rent about $775/mo · Housing →

Jefferson$2,520/mo

Typical home $399K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.27% · Housing →

The difference: $610 a month, about $7,300 a year, between Jefferson and Hurley.

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

C−HurleyBetter than 18% of districts in the state –JeffersonNot 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

HurleyJefferson

Snow a year31″36″

January low7°F 10°F

July high84°F 85°F

Growing season (days)151d 159d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th 82nd

Outdoors & history

HurleyJefferson

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land0%1.2%

Settled1883 1859

National Register places3 1

Archive photos4 2

Famous people born here—2

Community

HurleyJefferson

Library hours a week20 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

54 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

HurleySD JeffersonSD

Hurley ↔ Jefferson54 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

HurleyJefferson

People

Population 394Lowest 554Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -13.2% SD: +8.9%

Median age 37.9±9.1Lowest about the SD average 40.6±12Highest 7% above SD

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

Kids under 18 32.2%±6.2Highest SD: 24.2% 22.6%±8.8Lowest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 17.3%±3.6Lowest SD: 18% 18.6%±2.7Highest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.7%Highest SD: 31.9% 23.2%Lowest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.5%±3.1Highest SD: 5% 1.1%±1.4Lowest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $73,750±$15kLowest about the SD average $82,888±$21kHighest 10% above SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $111,200±$15kLowest 57% below SD $179,400±$23kHighest 30% below SD

Rentmedian gross, monthly $775±$251 18% below SD —

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,742Lowest 36% below SD $2,284Highest 16% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25%±100Highest SD: 39.8% 13%±77.6Lowest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 10.7%Highest SD: 11.9% 4.9%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 89.2%Lowest SD: 68.6% 91%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than SD 1974Highest 6 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 55% above SD 22 minLowest 24% above SD

Work from home 8.2%±4.3Highest SD: 9.7% 8.1%±9.6Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 1.6%Highest 1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miHighest 8.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.28Highest 0.11Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (28%)North Sioux City (20%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in JeffersonFew work in Hurley

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.2%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 75.3Highest 57.0Lowest

Schools

School district Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6—

High school in town None in town—

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.

Hurley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hurley’s Town Square.

Jefferson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jefferson’s Town Square.

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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.

Hurley vs Jefferson

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $610 more a month in Jefferson

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

54 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

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Towns like Hurley

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