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Merton Township vs Dearborn Township

48 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (6.3× in Merton Township) and property tax bill (2.3× in Dearborn Township).

M ×
Merton Township, SDAn outdoors townClark County · 53 people
D ×
Dearborn Township, SDAn outdoors townBeadle County · 47 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.

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
Merton TownshipDearborn Township
Snow a year—44″
January low—6°F
July high—86°F
Growing season (days)—146d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)39th41st
Outdoors & history
Merton TownshipDearborn Township
Trails7 mi3 mi
Conserved land57%43.9%
National Register places2—
Community
Merton TownshipDearborn 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

48 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Merton Township ↔ Dearborn Township48 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.

Merton TownshipDearborn Township
People
Population 53Highest 47Lowest
Median age 57.5±18.1Lowest 51% above SD 57.7±8.4Highest 52% above SD
Dearborn Township and Merton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.2%±51.4Highest SD: 24.2% 14.9%±53.3Lowest SD: 24.2%
Merton Township and Dearborn Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 28.3%±57.2Highest SD: 18% 17%±64.6Lowest SD: 18%
Merton Township and Dearborn Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35.1%Lowest SD: 31.9% 40%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±26.7 SD: 5% 0%±30.1 SD: 5%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $83,500±$65kLowest 11% above SD $88,250±$71kHighest 18% above SD
Dearborn Township and Merton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied — $318,800±$73k 24% above SD
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,636Lowest 40% below SD $3,700Highest 36% above SD
Below poverty line 8.1%Highest SD: 11.9% 0%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 100% SD: 68.6% 100% SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest 4 yrs older than SD 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Work from home 11.1%±12.6Highest SD: 9.7% 0%±34.5Lowest SD: 9.7%
Merton Township and Dearborn Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.8 miLowest 46.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.50Highest 0.08Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Watertown (36%)Huron (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Dearborn TownshipFew work in Merton Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 57%Highest 43.9%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 6.9 miHighest 3.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.7Lowest 1.1Highest
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.

Merton Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Merton Township’s Town Square.

Dearborn Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dearborn Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Merton Township

Towns like Merton Township

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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