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Medary Township vs Oslo Township

Next-door neighbors in Brookings County. The biggest differences: street grid (3.1× in Medary Township) and size (5.9× in Medary Township).

M ×
Medary Township, SDOne of the healthiest townsBrookings County · 1,452 people
O ×
Oslo Township, SDAn outdoors townBrookings County · 246 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 →
Oslo TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors15.5% conserved land1.8 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves All about Oslo Township →
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 grid3.1×
Medary Township has the more walkable street grid
Medary Township 2.8Oslo Township 0.9
Size5.9×
Medary Township is the bigger place
Medary Township 1,452Oslo Township 246
Trails3×
Oslo Township has more miles of trail
Oslo Township 1.8 miMedary Township 0.6 mi
Jobs per worker2.5×
Oslo Township is more of a job hub
Oslo Township 0.35Medary Township 0.14
Typical home built30 yrs
Oslo Township’s homes are older
Medary Township 1993Oslo Township 1963
Homeowners+16.8 pts renters
Oslo Township has more renters
Medary Township 83.5%Oslo Township 66.7%
★ What stands out · Where they are

Medary Township and Oslo Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Medary TownshipOslo TownshipMedary TownshipOslo Township
Medary Township ↔ Oslo Township7.0 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
4 Oslo Township residents work in Medary Township (3.5% of its workers)
Work & commute in Oslo Township →
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 –Oslo TownshipNot graded
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 TownshipOslo Township
Snow a year36″36″
January low4°F4°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)145d145d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)62nd57th
Outdoors & history
Medary TownshipOslo Township
Trails1 mi2 mi
Conserved land12.5%15.5%
National Register places2—
Community
Medary TownshipOslo 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.

Medary TownshipOslo Township
People
Population 1,452Highest 246Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.4% SD: +8.9% —
Median age 33.6±15.3Highest 12% below SD 28.6±2.2Lowest 25% below SD
Medary Township and Oslo Township 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% 26%±20Highest SD: 24.2%
Oslo Township and Medary Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.1%±5.5Lowest SD: 18% 13.4%±15.6Highest SD: 18%
Oslo Township and Medary Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 37.8%Highest SD: 31.9% 26.4%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 9.8%±8Highest SD: 5% 0%±5.7Lowest SD: 5%
Medary Township and Oslo 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 $80,595±$71kLowest 7% above SD
Medary Township and Oslo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $312,400±$46k 21% above SD —
Rentmedian gross, monthly $859±$14 9% below SD —
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,286Highest 21% above SD $2,688Lowest about the SD average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±26 SD: 39.8% 0%±62.5 SD: 39.8%
Below poverty line 6.7%Highest SD: 11.9% 0%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 83.5%Highest SD: 68.6% 66.7%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than SD 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 7% below SD 23 minHighest 30% above SD
Work from home 15.5%±11.1Highest SD: 9.7% 0%±8.8Lowest SD: 9.7%
Medary Township and Oslo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.9%Highest 0%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 7.3 miLowest 10.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.14Lowest 0.35Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Brookings (56%)Brookings (41%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Oslo Township3% work in Medary Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 12.5%Lowest 15.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miLowest 1.8 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 2.8Highest 0.9Lowest
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.

Oslo Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Oslo Township’s Town Square.

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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
F
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Fremont Township77 people · $594K homes

Towns like Medary Township

C
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Colman948 people · $236K homes
S
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Summerset3,022 people · $368K homes
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Hill City834 people · $286K homes
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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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