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Oacoma vs Chamberlain

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: conserved land (+37.2 pts in Oacoma) and property tax bill (+67% in Chamberlain).

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Oacoma, SDA small town of 548South Dakota · 548 people
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Chamberlain, SDAn outdoors townSouth Dakota · 2,588 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.

OacomaA small town of 548
Quiet strengthsOacoma doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Oacoma →
ChamberlainAn outdoors town
Outdoors#1 most conserved land in SD1.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves Health56% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$263K typical home18% below the SD typical home All about Chamberlain →
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.

Conserved land+37.2 pts
Oacoma has more conserved land
Oacoma 59.6%Chamberlain 22.4%
Property tax bill+67%
Tax bills are bigger in Chamberlain
Chamberlain $2,498Oacoma $1,494
Work in town+31 pts
More of Chamberlain’s workers stay in town
Chamberlain 38%Oacoma 7%
Size4.7×
Chamberlain is the bigger place
Chamberlain 2,588Oacoma 548
Street grid2.3×
Chamberlain has the more walkable street grid
Chamberlain 27.3Oacoma 11.9
Bachelor’s degree++14.5 pts
More adults in Chamberlain have a degree
Chamberlain 33.3%Oacoma 18.8%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $600 more a month in Chamberlain

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.

Oacoma$1,020/mo
Typical home $172K (Census) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $883/mo · Housing →
Chamberlain$1,620/mo
Typical home $263K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $818/mo · Housing →

The difference: $600 a month, about $7,100 a year, between Chamberlain and Oacoma.

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.

Where they are

Oacoma and Chamberlain share a border

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

OacomaChamberlainOacomaChamberlain
Oacoma ↔ Chamberlain1.9 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
55 Chamberlain residents work in Oacoma (5.2% of its workers)
9 Oacoma residents work in Chamberlain (6.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Chamberlain →
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.

Schools
–OacomaNot graded CChamberlainBetter than 30% of districts in the state
Health
–OacomaNot graded C+ChamberlainHealthier than 44% 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
OacomaChamberlain
Snow a year43″43″
January low9°F9°F
July high87°F87°F
Growing season (days)156d156d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)85th54th
Outdoors & history
OacomaChamberlain
Trails—1 mi
Conserved land—22.4%
Settled—1881
National Register places—2
Archive photos—12
Famous people born here—7
Community
OacomaChamberlain
Library hours a week—42 hrs
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.

OacomaChamberlain
People
Population 548Lowest 2,588Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +3.6% SD: +8.9%
Median age 40.2±6.3Lowest 6% above SD 43±7.3Highest 13% above SD
Chamberlain and Oacoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.4%±7.7Highest SD: 24.2% 23.1%±3.9Lowest SD: 24.2%
Oacoma and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 26.6%±5.8Highest SD: 18% 23.7%±3.4Lowest SD: 18%
Oacoma and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.8%Lowest SD: 31.9% 33.3%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.5%±3.4Highest SD: 5% 1.2%±0.8Lowest SD: 5%
Oacoma and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $73,333±$26kLowest about the SD average $76,761±$8kHighest about the SD average
Chamberlain and Oacoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $171,700±$82kLowest 33% below SD $224,300±$24kHighest 13% below SD
Chamberlain and Oacoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $883±$105Highest 7% below SD $818±$270Lowest 14% below SD
Oacoma and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,494Lowest 45% below SD $2,498Highest 8% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 23.4%±51.5Lowest SD: 39.8% 34.7%±12.5Highest SD: 39.8%
Chamberlain and Oacoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.5%Lowest SD: 11.9% 12.1%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 77.7%Highest SD: 68.6% 68.2%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than SD 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 15 minHighest 16% below SD 14 minLowest 22% below SD
Work from home 6.1%±7.1Highest SD: 9.7% 4.6%±3.2Lowest SD: 9.7%
Oacoma and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 7%Lowest 38%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 34.8 miHighest 19.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.49Highest 1.14Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Presho (10%)Sioux Falls (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 6% work in Chamberlain5% work in Oacoma
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 59.6%Highest 22.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miLowest 1.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 5Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 11.9Lowest 27.3Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#18 of 34 in SD
School district —Chamberlain School District 07-1
High school in town —Chamberlain High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school — 10.6
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.

Oacoma neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Oacoma’s Town Square.

Chamberlain neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Chamberlain’s Town Square.

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Bordering Oacoma

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Oacoma Township51 people · $893K homes
C
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Chamberlain Township307 people · $287K homes

Towns like Oacoma

G
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Gayville519 people · $99K homes
L
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Langford481 people · $125K homes
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Canistota711 people · $137K homes
B
+ Compare
Burke708 people · $150K 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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