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.

Down paymentRate%

Oacoma$1,020/mo

Typical home $172K (Census) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $883/mo · Housing →

Colton$2,080/mo

Typical home $337K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $736/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,060 a month, about $12,700 a year, between Colton 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.

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

OacomaColton

Snow a year43″40″

January low9°F —

July high87°F —

Growing season (days)156d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)85th 31st

Outdoors & history

OacomaColton

Trails—0 mi

Conserved land—0%

Community

OacomaColton

Library hours a week—12 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

122 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

OacomaSD ColtonSD

Oacoma ↔ Colton122 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.

Only big differences vs South Dakota average

OacomaColton

People

Population 548Lowest 736Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +7.4% SD: +8.9%

Median age 40.2±6.3Lowest 6% above SD 41.3±4.9Highest 9% above SD

Colton and Oacoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 25.4%±7.7Lowest SD: 24.2% 27.2%±5.8Highest SD: 24.2%

Colton and Oacoma 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% 16.6%±1.6Lowest SD: 18%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.8%Highest SD: 31.9% 14.6%Lowest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.5%±3.4Highest SD: 5% 2%±1.5Lowest SD: 5%

Oacoma and Colton 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 $83,750±$28kHighest 12% above SD

Colton 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 $192,900±$33kHighest 25% below SD

Colton 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 $736±$143Lowest 22% below SD

Oacoma and Colton 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 $2,185Highest 20% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 23.4%±51.5Lowest SD: 39.8% 28.9%±33Highest SD: 39.8%

Colton 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% 14.3%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 77.7%Highest SD: 68.6% 68.1%Lowest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than SD 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 15 minLowest 16% below SD 26 minHighest 46% above SD

Work from home 6.1%±7.1Lowest SD: 9.7% 8%±3.9Highest SD: 9.7%

Colton and Oacoma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 7%Highest 1.3%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 34.8 miHighest 19.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.49Highest 0.18Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Presho (10%)Sioux Falls (51%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ColtonFew work in Oacoma

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 59.6%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 11.9Lowest 77.6Highest

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.

Colton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colton’s Town Square.

Add a town

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One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Oacoma

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Oacoma Township51 people · $893K homes

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Chamberlain Township307 people · $287K homes

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Chamberlain2,588 people · $224K homes

Towns like Oacoma

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Gayville519 people · $99K homes

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Langford481 people · $125K homes

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Canistota711 people · $137K homes

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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.

Oacoma vs Colton

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $1,060 more a month in Colton

What daily life feels like in each

122 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Oacoma and Colton

Bordering Oacoma

Towns like Oacoma

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