Compare towns

Ipswich vs Murdo

136 miles apart. The biggest differences: work in town (+24.9 pts in Murdo) and street grid (+53% in Murdo).

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

Murdo, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 599 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.

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 →

MurdoKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 92%of SD districts

HistorySettled in 19071 place on the National Register All about Murdo →

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+24.9 pts

More of Murdo’s workers stay in town

Murdo 41.2%Ipswich 16.3%

Street grid+53%

Murdo has the more walkable street grid

Murdo 116Ipswich 75.8

Average commute5 min

Murdo has the shorter commute

Ipswich 17 minMurdo 12 min

Typical home built14 yrs

Ipswich’s homes are older

Murdo 1971Ipswich 1957

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $160 more a month in Ipswich

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 →

Murdo$840/mo

Typical home $132K (Census) · tax rate 1.30% · or rent about $534/mo · Housing →

The difference: $160 a month, about $1,900 a year, between Ipswich and Murdo.

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 AMurdoBetter than 92% of districts in the state

Health

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

IpswichMurdo

Snow a year34″49″

January low3°F 12°F

July high84°F 87°F

Growing season (days)143d 158d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)29th 48th

Outdoors & history

IpswichMurdo

Settled—1907

National Register places8 1

Archive photos—18

Community

IpswichMurdo

Library hours a week26 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

136 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

IpswichSD MurdoSD

Ipswich ↔ Murdo136 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

IpswichMurdo

People

Population 1,048Highest 599Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.7% SD: +8.9% —

Median age 34.9±14.5Highest 8% below SD 33.7±15.3Lowest 11% below SD

Ipswich and Murdo 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% 29%±13.9Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 21.9%±4.3Lowest SD: 18% 23.9%±9.9Highest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.9%Lowest SD: 31.9% 23.7%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.2%±2.8Lowest SD: 5% 2.3%±2.4Highest SD: 5%

Murdo 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 $67,045±$23kLowest 11% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $164,700±$13kHighest 36% below SD $132,400±$41kLowest 49% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,053±$282Highest 11% above SD $534±$335Lowest 44% below SD

Ipswich and Murdo 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 $1,726Highest 37% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 30.7%±31.3Highest SD: 39.8% 4.1%±35.8Lowest SD: 39.8%

Ipswich and Murdo 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% 21.7%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 69.7%Lowest SD: 68.6% 72.4%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than SD 1971Highest 9 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 17 minHighest 5% below SD 12 minLowest 33% below SD

Work from home 10.2%±6.7Highest SD: 9.7% 3.6%±4.2Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 16.3%Lowest 41.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 27.3 miLowest 33.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.90Lowest 1.16Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Aberdeen (35%)Rapid City (7%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MurdoFew 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 75.8Lowest 116Highest

Schools

School district Ipswich Public School District 22-6Jones County School District 37-3

High school in town Ipswich High School - 01Jones County High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school 14.3Highest 7.4Lowest

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.

Murdo neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Murdo’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.

Ipswich vs Murdo

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $160 more a month in Ipswich

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

136 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

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Towns like Ipswich

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