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Ipswich vs Elkton

150 miles apart. The biggest differences: age 65+ (+15 pts in Ipswich) and street grid (+93% in Ipswich).

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Ipswich, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 1,048 people

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Elkton, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 977 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.

IpswichKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 83%of SD districts HealthHealthier than 74%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates

History8 historic places8 places on the National Register All about Ipswich →

ElktonKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 10%of SD districts All about Elkton →

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.

Ipswich has more people 65 and up

Ipswich 21.9%Elkton 6.9%

Street grid+93%

Ipswich has the more walkable street grid

Ipswich 75.8Elkton 39.2

Property tax bill+30%

Tax bills are bigger in Elkton

Elkton $2,058Ipswich $1,587

Typical home built18 yrs

Ipswich’s homes are older

Elkton 1975Ipswich 1957

Work in town+11.8 pts

More of Ipswich’s workers stay in town

Ipswich 16.3%Elkton 4.5%

Growth since 2010+5.3 pts

Elkton has grown faster since 2010

Elkton +2.6%Ipswich -2.7%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $890 more a month in Elkton

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%

Ipswich$1,000/mo

Typical home $165K (Census) · tax rate 0.96% · or rent about $1,053/mo · Housing →

Elkton$1,880/mo

Typical home $305K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $1,061/mo · Housing →

The difference: $890 a month, about $10,600 a year, between Elkton and Ipswich.

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−IpswichBetter than 83% of districts in the state DElktonBetter than 10% of districts in the state

Health

B+IpswichHealthier than 74% of U.S. towns –ElktonNot 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

IpswichElkton

Snow a year34″40″

January low3°F 4°F

July high84°F 81°F

Growing season (days)143d 148d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)29th 40th

Outdoors & history

IpswichElkton

Settled—1880

National Register places8 1

Archive photos—3

Famous people born here—3

Community

IpswichElkton

Library hours a week26 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

150 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

IpswichSD ElktonSD

Ipswich ↔ Elkton150 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

IpswichElkton

People

Population 1,048Highest 977Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.7%Lowest SD: +8.9% +2.6%Highest SD: +8.9%

Median age 34.9±14.5Highest 8% below SD 30.9±5.5Lowest 19% below SD

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

Kids under 18 22.7%±5.3Lowest SD: 24.2% 33.4%±8Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 21.9%±4.3Highest SD: 18% 6.9%±3.2Lowest SD: 18%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.9%Lowest SD: 31.9% 21.6%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.2%±2.8Lowest SD: 5% 3.2%±2.5Highest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $74,167±$15kHighest about the SD average $69,688±$22kLowest 7% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $164,700±$13kLowest 36% below SD $185,100±$24kHighest 28% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,053±$282Lowest 11% above SD $1,061±$249Highest 12% above SD

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,587Lowest 42% below SD $2,058Highest 24% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 30.7%±31.3Lowest SD: 39.8% 81.1%±65.2Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 6.6%Lowest SD: 11.9% 26.7%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 69.7%Highest SD: 68.6% 62.3%Lowest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than SD 1975Highest 5 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 17 minHighest 5% below SD 16 minLowest 9% below SD

Work from home 10.2%±6.7Highest SD: 9.7% 5.7%±6Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 16.3%Highest 4.5%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 27.3 miHighest 15.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.90Highest 0.87Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Aberdeen (35%)Brookings (52%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ElktonFew work in Ipswich

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.5%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 75.8Highest 39.2Lowest

Schools

School district Ipswich Public School District 22-6Elkton School District 05-3

High school in town Ipswich High School - 01Elkton High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school 14.3Highest 13.9Lowest

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.

Ipswich neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ipswich’s Town Square.

Elkton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elkton’s Town Square.

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Towns like Ipswich

Platte1,161 people · $179K homes

Arlington920 people · $144K homes

Freeman1,565 people · $164K homes

Murdo599 people · $132K 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.