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Hurley vs Kennebec

145 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (20 min in Kennebec) and jobs per worker (2.3× in Kennebec).

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Hurley, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 394 people
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Kennebec, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 296 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.

HurleyKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 18%of SD districts HistorySettled in 18833 places on the National Register All about Hurley →
KennebecKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 31%of SD districts All about Kennebec →
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.

Average commute20 min
Kennebec has the shorter commute
Hurley 28 minKennebec 8 min
Jobs per worker2.3×
Kennebec is more of a job hub
Kennebec 0.65Hurley 0.28
Property tax bill+35%
Tax bills are bigger in Hurley
Hurley $1,742Kennebec $1,290
Typical home built15 yrs
Hurley’s homes are older
Kennebec 1966Hurley 1951
Street grid+41%
Hurley has the more walkable street grid
Hurley 75.3Kennebec 53.3
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $980 more a month in Hurley

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.

Hurley$1,910/mo
Typical home $291K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.57% · or rent about $775/mo · Housing →
Kennebec$920/mo
Typical home $156K (Census) · tax rate 0.83% · Housing →

The difference: $980 a month, about $11,800 a year, between Hurley and Kennebec.

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 CKennebecBetter than 31% of districts in the state
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
HurleyKennebec
Snow a year31″40″
January low7°F9°F
July high84°F90°F
Growing season (days)151d137d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th85th
Outdoors & history
HurleyKennebec
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled1883—
National Register places3—
Archive photos4—
Community
HurleyKennebec
Library hours a week20 hrs16 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

145 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

HurleySDKennebecSD
Hurley ↔ Kennebec145 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.

HurleyKennebec
People
Population 394Highest 296Lowest
Median age 37.9±9.1Lowest about the SD average 38±13.7Highest about the SD average
Kennebec 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% 30.7%±12.5Lowest SD: 24.2%
Hurley and Kennebec 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% 19.6%±9.4Highest SD: 18%
Kennebec 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% 19.9%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.5%±3.1Highest SD: 5% 0%±4.8Lowest SD: 5%
Hurley and Kennebec 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 $74,896±$18kHighest about the SD average
Kennebec 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 $155,700±$63kHighest 40% below SD
Kennebec and Hurley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $775±$251 18% below SD —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,742Highest 36% below SD $1,290Lowest 53% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25%±100Highest SD: 39.8% 0%±100Lowest SD: 39.8%
Hurley and Kennebec 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% 6.1%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 89.2%Highest SD: 68.6% 85%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than SD 1966Highest 14 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 55% above SD 8 minLowest 58% below SD
Work from home 8.2%±4.3Lowest SD: 9.7% 22.6%±18.9Highest SD: 9.7%
Kennebec and Hurley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.6%Lowest 4.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miLowest 27.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.28Lowest 0.65Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (28%)Presho (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in KennebecFew work in Hurley
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 75.3Highest 53.3Lowest
Schools
School district Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6Lyman School District 42-1
High school in town None in townNone 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.

Kennebec neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Kennebec’s Town Square.

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Towns like Hurley

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Emery539 people · $152K 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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