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Compare towns

Medary Township vs Aurora

8 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (22.8× in Aurora) and growth since 2010 (+97.2 pts in Aurora).

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Medary Township, SDOne of the healthiest townsBrookings County · 1,452 people
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Aurora, SDOne of the healthiest townsSouth Dakota · 1,444 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.

Medary TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 84%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors12.5% conserved land0.6 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Medary Township →
AuroraOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 77%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Aurora →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Street grid22.8×
Aurora has the more walkable street grid
Aurora 63.8Medary Township 2.8
Growth since 2010+97.2 pts
Aurora has grown faster since 2010
Aurora +96.8%Medary Township -0.4%
Home values+33%
Homes cost more in Medary Township
Medary Township $312,400Aurora $234,600
Conserved land+12.5 pts
Medary Township has more conserved land
Medary Township 12.5%Aurora 0%
Age 65++7.6 pts
Medary Township has more people 65 and up
Medary Township 13.1%Aurora 5.5%
Typical home built17 yrs
Medary Township’s homes are older
Aurora 2010Medary Township 1993
★ 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.

Medary Township$1,910/mo
Typical home $312K (Census) · tax rate 1.05% · or rent about $859/mo · Housing →
Aurora$1,930/mo
Typical home $307K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.26% · or rent about $840/mo · 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.

Health
A−Medary TownshipHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns A−AuroraHealthier than 77% of U.S. towns
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
Medary TownshipAurora
Snow a year36″36″
January low4°F4°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)145d145d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)62nd40th
Outdoors & history
Medary TownshipAurora
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land12.5%0%
National Register places2—
Community
Medary TownshipAurora
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

8 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Medary TownshipAuroraMedary TownshipAurora
Medary Township ↔ Aurora8.1 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.

Medary TownshipAurora
People
Population 1,452Highest 1,444Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.4%Lowest SD: +8.9% +96.8%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 33.6±15.3Highest 12% below SD 29±2.4Lowest 24% below SD
Medary Township and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.5%±7.8Lowest SD: 24.2% 27.1%±5.8Highest SD: 24.2%
Aurora and Medary Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.1%±5.5Highest SD: 18% 5.5%±1.8Lowest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 37.8%Lowest SD: 31.9% 42.8%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 9.8%±8Lowest SD: 5% 12.6%±10.1Highest SD: 5%
Aurora and Medary Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $107,583±$32kHighest 43% above SD $95,952±$9kLowest 28% above SD
Medary Township and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $312,400±$46kHighest 21% above SD $234,600±$17kLowest 9% below SD
Rentmedian gross, monthly $859±$14Highest 9% below SD $840±$192Lowest 11% below SD
Medary Township and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,286Highest 21% above SD $2,951Lowest 8% above SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±26Lowest SD: 39.8% 30.7%±19.9Highest SD: 39.8%
Aurora and Medary Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.7%Highest SD: 11.9% 2.7%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 83.5%Highest SD: 68.6% 75%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1993Lowest 13 yrs newer than SD 2010Highest 30 yrs newer than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 7% below SD 17 minHighest 7% below SD
Work from home 15.5%±11.1Highest SD: 9.7% 11.4%±5.3Lowest SD: 9.7%
Medary Township and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.9%Lowest 1.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 7.3 miHighest 5.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.14Lowest 0.16Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Brookings (56%)Brookings (55%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AuroraFew work in Medary Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 12.5%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.8Lowest 63.8Highest
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.

Medary Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Medary Township’s Town Square.

Aurora neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Aurora’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Medary Township

B
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Brookings23,948 people · $266K homes
T
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Trenton Township249 people
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Fremont Township77 people · $594K homes
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Oslo Township246 people

Towns like Medary Township

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+ Compare
Colman948 people · $236K homes
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Summerset3,022 people · $368K homes
+ Compare
Hill City834 people · $286K homes
+ Compare
Humboldt732 people · $228K 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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