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Lafoon Township vs Bethel Township

172 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (3.4× in Lafoon Township) and typical home built (33 yrs in Bethel Township).

L ×
Lafoon Township, SDAn outdoors townFaulk County · 48 people
B ×
Bethel Township, SDA small town of 89Clay County · 89 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.

Lafoon TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors16.7% conserved land9.5 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves All about Lafoon Township →
Bethel TownshipA small town of 89
Quiet strengthsBethel Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Bethel 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.

Jobs per worker3.4×
Lafoon Township is more of a job hub
Lafoon Township 0.93Bethel Township 0.27
Typical home built33 yrs
Bethel Township’s homes are older
Lafoon Township 1971Bethel Township 1938
Conserved land+16.6 pts
Lafoon Township has more conserved land
Lafoon Township 16.7%Bethel Township 0.1%
Property tax bill+27%
Tax bills are bigger in Lafoon Township
Lafoon Township $2,357Bethel Township $1,854
Street grid+44%
Bethel Township has the more walkable street grid
Bethel Township 1.3Lafoon Township 0.9
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
Lafoon TownshipBethel Township
Snow a year44″38″
January low4°F10°F
July high85°F87°F
Growing season (days)139d164d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)37th66th
Outdoors & history
Lafoon TownshipBethel Township
Trails10 mi8 mi
Conserved land16.7%0.1%
Community
Lafoon TownshipBethel 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.

Where they are

172 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Lafoon TownshipFaulk CountyBethel TownshipClay County
Lafoon Township ↔ Bethel Township172 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.

Lafoon TownshipBethel Township
People
Population 48Lowest 89Highest
Median age 61.4±17.8Highest 62% above SD 59.4±12.8Lowest 56% above SD
Lafoon Township and Bethel Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 6.3%±56Highest SD: 24.2% 5.6%±30.9Lowest SD: 24.2%
Lafoon Township and Bethel Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 33.3%±56.1Highest SD: 18% 29.2%±36.5Lowest SD: 18%
Lafoon Township and Bethel Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 45.2%Highest SD: 31.9% 38.8%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±29.5 SD: 5% 0%±15.9 SD: 5%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $70,000±$68kLowest 7% below SD $125,714±$90kHighest 67% above SD
Bethel Township and Lafoon Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied — $181,300±$121k 30% below SD
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,357Highest 13% below SD $1,854Lowest 32% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 SD: 39.8% 0%±100 SD: 39.8%
Below poverty line 0% SD: 11.9% 0% SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 56.3%Lowest SD: 68.6% 59.7%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Highest 9 yrs older than SD 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way — 24 min 34% above SD
Work from home 39.4%±28.9Highest SD: 9.7% 11.1%±14.8Lowest SD: 9.7%
Lafoon Township and Bethel Township 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 26.3 miHighest 18.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.93Highest 0.27Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Faulkton (21%)Vermillion (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Bethel TownshipFew work in Lafoon Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 16.7%Highest 0.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 9.5 miHighest 8.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.9Lowest 1.3Highest
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.

Lafoon Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lafoon Township’s Town Square.

Bethel Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bethel Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Lafoon Township

A
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Arcade Township9 people
C
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Centerville Township6 people
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Myron Township60 people
T
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Tamworth Township74 people

Towns like Lafoon Township

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Nutley Township52 people
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Okaton Township22 people
A
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Akaska104 people · $92K homes
F
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Fremont Township77 people · $594K 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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