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La Valley Township vs Dayton Township

Next-door neighbors in Lincoln County. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+21.7 pts in La Valley Township) and typical home built (64 yrs in Dayton Township).

L ×
La Valley Township, SDA small town of 498Lincoln County · 498 people
D ×
Dayton Township, SDOne of the healthiest townsLincoln County · 1,006 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.

La Valley TownshipA small town of 498
Quiet strengthsLa Valley Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about La Valley 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.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $810 more a month in La Valley Township

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.

La Valley Township$2,960/mo
Typical home $495K (Census) · tax rate 0.90% · Housing →
Dayton Township$2,160/mo
Typical home $340K (Census) · tax rate 1.31% · Housing →

The difference: $810 a month, about $9,700 a year, between La Valley Township and Dayton Township.

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.

Where they are

La Valley Township and Dayton Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

La Valley TownshipDayton TownshipLa Valley TownshipDayton Township
La Valley Township ↔ Dayton Township6.5 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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.

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 Valley TownshipDayton Township
Snow a year49″49″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th54th
Outdoors & history
La Valley TownshipDayton Township
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land0%0.2%
National Register places2—
Community
La Valley TownshipDayton Township
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.

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.

La Valley TownshipDayton Township
People
Population 498Lowest 1,006Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +25.8%Highest SD: +8.9% +4.1%Lowest SD: +8.9%
Median age 55±12.8Highest 45% above SD 50.8±11.8Lowest 34% above SD
La Valley Township and Dayton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.1%±12.1Lowest SD: 24.2% 24.1%±8.1Highest SD: 24.2%
Dayton Township and La Valley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.7%±9.7Lowest SD: 18% 29%±10.1Highest SD: 18%
Dayton Township and La Valley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.7%Lowest SD: 31.9% 41.4%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±2.8Lowest SD: 5% 1.9%±3Highest SD: 5%
Dayton Township and La Valley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $135,489±$53kHighest 80% above SD $104,583±$98kLowest 39% above SD
La Valley Township and Dayton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $494,900±$121kHighest 92% above SD $340,200±$269kLowest 32% above SD
La Valley Township and Dayton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,431Lowest 63% above SD $4,470Highest 64% above SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 SD: 39.8% 0%±100 SD: 39.8%
Below poverty line 5.2%Highest SD: 11.9% 1.8%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 94.8%Lowest SD: 68.6% 97.2%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2002Highest 22 yrs newer than SD 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minHighest 27% above SD 20 minLowest 10% above SD
Work from home 20%±12.5Highest SD: 9.7% 16.7%±8.1Lowest SD: 9.7%
La Valley Township and Dayton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.8%Lowest 1.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miLowest 11.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.75Highest 0.23Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (63%)Sioux Falls (65%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Dayton TownshipFew work in La Valley Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.6Highest 1.5Lowest
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.

La Valley Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to La Valley Township’s Town Square.

Dayton Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dayton Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering La Valley Township

Towns like La Valley Township

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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