What stands out worked out from the figures below

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Mapleton has the most walkable street grid (4.1 intersections per sq mi).

Sverdrup has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.5%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing townOutdoorsyWalkable streets

Measure	Mapleton	Sverdrup
People
Population	2,481Highest	861Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.1%Lowest SD: +8.9%	+14.5%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age	38.3±11.2Lowest about the SD average	43.2±12.2Highest 14% above SD
	Sverdrup and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	29.5%±8.1Highest SD: 24.2%	25.7%±3.7Lowest SD: 24.2%
	Mapleton and Sverdrup are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.3%±2.1Highest SD: 18%	15.8%±3.2Lowest SD: 18%
	Mapleton and Sverdrup are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.4%Highest SD: 31.9%	24.9%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.2%±1.7Highest SD: 5%	0%±1.6Lowest SD: 5%
	Mapleton and Sverdrup are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,972±$23kLowest 48% above SD	$118,438±$37kHighest 58% above SD
	Sverdrup and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$319,100±$34kLowest 24% above SD	$367,900±$40kHighest 43% above SD
	Sverdrup and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,944Lowest 8% above SD	$3,879Highest 42% above SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	22.4%±42.4Lowest SD: 39.8%	100%±42.9Highest SD: 39.8%
	Sverdrup and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.4%Highest SD: 11.9%	0%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.4%Highest SD: 68.6%	89.1%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year	1992Lowest 12 yrs newer than SD	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 28% above SD	20 minLowest 13% above SD
Work from home	12.6%±4.9Lowest SD: 9.7%	13.7%±7.8Highest SD: 9.7%
	Sverdrup and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents	0.7%Lowest	4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line	7.3 miLowest	11.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub	0.28Lowest	0.97Highest
Top workplaceoutside town	Sioux Falls (72%)	Sioux Falls (53%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others	Few work in Sverdrup	Few work in Mapleton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town	0%	0%
Trailsmapped miles	0.9 miLowest	1.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi	0.0 miLowest	0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map	1Highest	0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure	4.1Highest	1.9Lowest
Schools
School district	Sioux Falls School District 49-5	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

SD average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data; commute flows: Census LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.