Compare towns
Mellette Township vs Utica 159 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (174× in Mellette Township) and street grid (90.3× in Utica).
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Utica, SD A small town of 68 South Dakota · 68 people
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.
Mellette Township A small town of 67
Quiet strengths Mellette Township doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Mellette Township →
Utica A small town of 68
Quiet strengths Utica doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Utica →
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.
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
Growing season (days) — 164d Outdoors & history
National Register places — 4 Famous people born here 1 — Community
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 159 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Mellette Township ↔ Utica 159 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.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Population
67 Lowest 68 Highest
Median age
55.9 ±19.7 Highest 47% above SD 52 ±21.3 Lowest 37% above SD
Kids under 18
13.4% ±34 Lowest SD: 24.2% 26.5% ±32 Highest SD: 24.2%
Age 65+
47.8% ±39.6 Highest SD: 18% 27.9% ±30.2 Lowest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
22.4% Highest SD: 31.9% 18% Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±21.1 SD: 5% 0% ±20.8 SD: 5%
Household incomemedian
$62,500 ±$39k Highest 17% below SD $51,000 ±$9k Lowest 32% below SD
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
— $52,500 ±$24k 80% below SD
Property taxmedian, yearly
— $540 80% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
— 33.3% ±100 SD: 39.8%
Below poverty line
0% Lowest SD: 11.9% 4.4% Highest SD: 11.9%
Homeownersof occupied homes
78.1% Lowest SD: 68.6% 81.3% Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1943 Lowest 37 yrs older than SD 1960 Highest 20 yrs older than SD
Average commuteone way
28 min Highest 54% above SD 21 min Lowest 16% above SD
Work from home
33.3% ±22.6 Highest SD: 9.7% 4% ±7.6 Lowest SD: 9.7%
Work in townworking residents
1.9% Highest 0% Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
23.8 mi Highest 10.8 mi Lowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
1.23 Lowest 1.50 Highest
Top workplaceoutside town
Sioux Falls (13%) Yankton (42%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Utica Few work in Mellette Township
Conserved landshare of the town
2% Highest 0% Lowest
Trailsmapped miles
34.8 mi Highest 0.2 mi Lowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.5 mi Lowest 0.7 mi Highest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
0.8 Lowest 72.2 Highest
“±” Census margin of error ACS 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.
Mellette Township or Utica: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Mellette Township? → Moving to Mellette Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Mellette Township’s Town Square.
Utica or Mellette Township: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Utica? → Moving to Utica: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Utica’s Town Square.
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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