Compare towns
La Bolt vs Patten Township
130 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (112.3× in La Bolt) and property tax bill (5× in Patten Township).
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.
La Bolt A small town of 80
Quiet strengths La Bolt doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about La Bolt →
Patten Township A small town of 97
Quiet strengths Patten Township doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Patten Township →
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.
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
La Bolt Patten Township
Outdoors & history
La Bolt Patten Township
National Register places — 2
Community
La Bolt Patten Township
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 130 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
La Bolt ↔ Patten Township 130 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.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
La Bolt Patten Township
People
Population
80 Lowest
97 Highest
Median age
40.3 ±8.3 Highest
6% above SD
36.3 ±20.7 Lowest
4% below SD
La Bolt and Patten Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.8% ±20.4 Lowest
SD: 24.2%
46.4% ±50.3 Highest
SD: 24.2%
Patten Township and La Bolt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.5% ±31.7 Highest
SD: 18%
4.1% ±32.7 Lowest
SD: 18%
La Bolt and Patten Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
27.1% Highest
SD: 31.9%
23.1% Lowest
SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±17.7
SD: 5%
0% ±14.6
SD: 5%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$71,667 ±$26k
5% below SD
—
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$65,000 ±$23k
75% below SD
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$950 Lowest
65% below SD
$4,792 Highest
76% above SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0% ±100
SD: 39.8%
0% ±100
SD: 39.8%
Below poverty line
7.5% Highest
SD: 11.9%
4.1% Lowest
SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.1% Lowest
SD: 68.6%
88.5% Highest
SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1946 Lowest
34 yrs older than SD
1985 Highest
5 yrs newer than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
30% above SD
—
Work from home
2.2% ±4.3 Lowest
SD: 9.7%
27.1% ±29 Highest
SD: 9.7%
Patten Township and La Bolt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents
0%
0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
22.8 mi Lowest
36.3 mi Highest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.57 Highest
0.00 Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town
Milbank (31%) Plankinton (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Patten Township Few work in La Bolt
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town
0% Lowest
17.9% Highest
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
67.4 Highest
0.6 Lowest
South Dakota average“±” Census margin of error ACS 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.
La Bolt or Patten Township: which would you pick? →
What’s it really like to live in La Bolt? →
Moving to La Bolt: what should I know? →
Your question goes to La Bolt’s Town Square.
Patten Township or La Bolt: which would you pick? →
What’s it really like to live in Patten Township? →
Moving to Patten Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Patten Township’s Town Square.
Add a town Set another town beside La Bolt and Patten Township One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.
Towns like La Bolt 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.
Copyright © 2026 TownTapestry · The guide for every city and town in America · In loving memory of John Cullinane whose interest in maps and discovering new places was contagious. Share TownTapestry to support us · Browse by state · Privacy · Terms