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Compare towns

Hurley vs Leola

192 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+70% in Hurley) and jobs per worker (3× in Leola).

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Hurley, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 394 people
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Leola, SDA small town of 381South Dakota · 381 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 →
LeolaA small town of 381
Quiet strengthsLeola doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Leola →
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+70%
Homes cost more in Hurley
Hurley $111,200Leola $65,400
Jobs per worker3×
Leola is more of a job hub
Leola 0.84Hurley 0.28
Work in town+10.6 pts
More of Leola’s workers stay in town
Leola 12.2%Hurley 1.6%
Homeowners+8.5 pts renters
Leola has more renters
Hurley 89.2%Leola 80.7%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,410 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 →
Leola$500/mo
Typical home $65K (Census) · tax rate 2.86% · or rent about $843/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,410 a month, about $16,900 a year, between Hurley and Leola.

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 BLeolaBetter than 60% 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
HurleyLeola
Snow a year31″34″
January low7°F3°F
July high84°F84°F
Growing season (days)151d143d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th37th
Outdoors & history
HurleyLeola
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled18831884
National Register places31
Archive photos4—
Community
HurleyLeola
Library hours a week20 hrs20 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

192 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

HurleySDLeolaSD
Hurley ↔ Leola192 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.

HurleyLeola
People
Population 394Highest 381Lowest
Median age 37.9±9.1Lowest about the SD average 38.9±10.3Highest about the SD average
Leola 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% 27.6%±3.2Lowest SD: 24.2%
Hurley and Leola 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% 18.9%±5.3Highest SD: 18%
Leola 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%Lowest SD: 31.9% 31.4%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.5%±3.1Lowest SD: 5% 2.6%±2.9Highest SD: 5%
Leola and Hurley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $73,750±$15kHighest about the SD average $71,250±$17kLowest 5% below SD
Hurley and Leola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $111,200±$15kHighest 57% below SD $65,400±$10kLowest 75% below SD
Rentmedian gross, monthly $775±$251Lowest 18% below SD $843±$139Highest 11% below SD
Leola and Hurley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,742Lowest 36% below SD $1,868Highest 31% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25%±100Highest SD: 39.8% 19.2%±55.8Lowest SD: 39.8%
Hurley and Leola 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% 6.3%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 89.2%Highest SD: 68.6% 80.7%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than SD 1956Highest 24 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 55% above SD 28 minHighest 56% above SD
Work from home 8.2%±4.3Highest SD: 9.7% 5.8%±5.4Lowest SD: 9.7%
Hurley and Leola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.6%Lowest 12.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miLowest 32.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.28Lowest 0.84Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (28%)Eureka (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in LeolaFew work in Hurley
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 75.3Lowest 105Highest
Schools
School district Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6Leola School District 44-2
High school in town None in townLeola High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school — 7.0
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.

Leola neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Leola’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Hurley and Leola

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Hurley

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+ Compare
Newell378 people · $141K homes
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Langford481 people · $125K homes
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Kennebec296 people · $156K homes
J
+ Compare
Jefferson554 people · $179K 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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