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Lawrence Township vs Plankinton Township

49 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (7.9× in Plankinton Township) and conserved land (+43.4 pts in Plankinton Township).

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Lawrence Township, SDA small town of 501Charles Mix County · 501 people
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Plankinton Township, SDAn outdoors townAurora County · 295 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.

Lawrence TownshipA small town of 501
Quiet strengthsLawrence Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Lawrence Township →
Plankinton TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors45.8% conserved land2.7 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves SchoolsBetter than 71%of SD districts All about Plankinton 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 worker7.9×
Plankinton Township is more of a job hub
Plankinton Township 1.18Lawrence Township 0.15
Conserved land+43.4 pts
Plankinton Township has more conserved land
Plankinton Township 45.8%Lawrence Township 2.4%
Property tax bill+35%
Tax bills are bigger in Plankinton Township
Plankinton Township $1,800Lawrence Township $1,330
Trails2.1×
Plankinton Township has more miles of trail
Plankinton Township 2.7 miLawrence Township 1.3 mi
Homeowners+9.8 pts renters
Plankinton Township has more renters
Lawrence Township 70%Plankinton Township 60.2%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Lawrence Township$1,470/mo
Typical home $259K (Census) · tax rate 0.51% · or rent about $675/mo · Housing →
Plankinton Township$1,430/mo
Typical home $245K (Census) · tax rate 0.74% · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
–Lawrence TownshipNot graded B+Plankinton TownshipBetter than 71% 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
Lawrence TownshipPlankinton Township
Snow a year31″38″
January low12°F8°F
July high87°F86°F
Growing season (days)165d153d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)43rd48th
Outdoors & history
Lawrence TownshipPlankinton Township
Trails1 mi3 mi
Conserved land2.4%45.8%
National Register places—1
Archive photos—4
Community
Lawrence TownshipPlankinton 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

49 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Lawrence TownshipCharles Mix CountyPlankinton TownshipAurora County
Lawrence Township ↔ Plankinton Township49 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.

Lawrence TownshipPlankinton Township
People
Population 501Highest 295Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -15.3% SD: +8.9% —
Median age 17.8±4.8Lowest 53% below SD 21.8±14.1Highest 43% below SD
Plankinton Township and Lawrence Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 50.3%±24.6Highest SD: 24.2% 44.7%±9.3Lowest SD: 24.2%
Lawrence Township and Plankinton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 2.8%±6.4Highest SD: 18% 2.4%±10.3Lowest SD: 18%
Lawrence Township and Plankinton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29.8%Lowest SD: 31.9% 35%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.2%±2.5Lowest SD: 5% 1.4%±4.1Highest SD: 5%
Plankinton Township and Lawrence Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,833±$36kLowest 12% below SD $71,563±$10kHighest 5% below SD
Plankinton Township and Lawrence Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $259,400±$185kHighest about the SD average $244,700±$77kLowest 5% below SD
Lawrence Township and Plankinton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $675±$420 29% below SD —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,330Lowest 51% below SD $1,800Highest 34% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 37%±62.5Lowest SD: 39.8% 100%±100Highest SD: 39.8%
Plankinton Township and Lawrence Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 58.8%Highest SD: 11.9% 10.9%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 70%Highest SD: 68.6% 60.2%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1980Highest same as SD 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 14 minLowest 21% below SD 17 minHighest 3% below SD
Work from home 0%±7.9Lowest SD: 9.7% 12.7%±10.4Highest SD: 9.7%
Plankinton Township and Lawrence Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 5.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 6.3 miLowest 23.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.15Lowest 1.18Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Wagner (45%)Mitchell (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Plankinton TownshipFew work in Lawrence Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.4%Lowest 45.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miLowest 2.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.3Lowest 1.4Highest
Schools
School district —Plankinton School District 01-1
High school in town —Aurora Plains Academy High School - 05
Students per teacherat that high school — 3.0
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.

Lawrence Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lawrence Township’s Town Square.

Plankinton Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Plankinton Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Lawrence Township

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+ Compare
Lone Tree Township333 people · $95K homes
+ Compare
Wagner1,529 people · $136K homes
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Ree Township51 people
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+ Compare
Bryan Township341 people · $293K homes

Towns like Lawrence Township

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Willow Lake433 people · $149K homes
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Milltown Township202 people · $166K homes
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+ Compare
Burk Township416 people · $531K homes
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Lake Norden889 people · $193K 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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