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Kennebec vs Hurley

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

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Kennebec, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 296 people
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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.

KennebecKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 31%of SD districts All about Kennebec →
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.

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.

Kennebec$920/mo
Typical home $156K (Census) · tax rate 0.83% · Housing →
Hurley$1,910/mo
Typical home $291K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.57% · or rent about $775/mo · 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
CKennebecBetter than 31% of districts in the state 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
KennebecHurley
Snow a year40″31″
January low9°F7°F
July high90°F84°F
Growing season (days)137d151d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)85th46th
Outdoors & history
KennebecHurley
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0%
Settled—1883
National Register places—3
Archive photos—4
Community
KennebecHurley
Library hours a week16 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

145 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

KennebecSDHurleySD
Kennebec ↔ Hurley145 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.

KennebecHurley
People
Population 296Lowest 394Highest
Median age 38±13.7Highest about the SD average 37.9±9.1Lowest 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 30.7%±12.5Lowest SD: 24.2% 32.2%±6.2Highest 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+ 19.6%±9.4Highest SD: 18% 17.3%±3.6Lowest 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+ 19.9%Lowest SD: 31.9% 25.7%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±4.8Lowest SD: 5% 1.5%±3.1Highest 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 $74,896±$18kHighest about the SD average $73,750±$15kLowest 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 $155,700±$63kHighest 40% below SD $111,200±$15kLowest 57% 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 $1,290Lowest 53% below SD $1,742Highest 36% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100Lowest SD: 39.8% 25%±100Highest 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 6.1%Lowest SD: 11.9% 10.7%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 85%Lowest SD: 68.6% 89.2%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1966Highest 14 yrs older than SD 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 8 minLowest 58% below SD 28 minHighest 55% above SD
Work from home 22.6%±18.9Highest SD: 9.7% 8.2%±4.3Lowest 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 4.1%Highest 1.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 27.3 miHighest 22.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.65Highest 0.28Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Presho (11%)Sioux Falls (28%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HurleyFew work in Kennebec
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 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 53.3Lowest 75.3Highest
Schools
School district Lyman School District 42-1Viborg-Hurley School District 60-6
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.

Kennebec neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Kennebec’s Town Square.

Hurley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hurley’s Town Square.

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Towns like Kennebec

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Pleasant Township174 people · $203K 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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