Compare towns

Jefferson vs Hurley

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

Jefferson, SDHomes around $399KSouth Dakota · 554 people

Hurley, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 394 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.

JeffersonHomes around $399K

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

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

HurleyKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 18%of SD districts

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

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%

Jefferson$2,520/mo

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

Hurley$1,910/mo

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

–JeffersonNot graded C−HurleyBetter than 18% 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

JeffersonHurley

Snow a year36″31″

January low10°F 7°F

July high85°F 84°F

Growing season (days)159d 151d

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

Outdoors & history

JeffersonHurley

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land1.2%0%

Settled1859 1883

National Register places1 3

Archive photos2 4

Famous people born here2 —

Community

JeffersonHurley

Library hours a week—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

54 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

JeffersonSD HurleySD

Jefferson ↔ Hurley54 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

JeffersonHurley

People

Population 554Highest 394Lowest

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

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

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

Kids under 18 22.6%±8.8Lowest SD: 24.2% 32.2%±6.2Highest 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+ 18.6%±2.7Highest SD: 18% 17.3%±3.6Lowest 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+ 23.2%Lowest SD: 31.9% 25.7%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.1%±1.4Lowest SD: 5% 1.5%±3.1Highest 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 $82,888±$21kHighest 10% above SD $73,750±$15kLowest about the SD average

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

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

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

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

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 13%±77.6Lowest SD: 39.8% 25%±100Highest 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 4.9%Lowest SD: 11.9% 10.7%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

Work from home 8.1%±9.6Lowest SD: 9.7% 8.2%±4.3Highest 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%Lowest 1.6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.8 miLowest 22.8 miHighest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HurleyFew work in Jefferson

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.2%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 1 1

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

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.

Jefferson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jefferson’s Town Square.

Hurley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hurley’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.

Jefferson vs Hurley

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 Jefferson

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