Compare towns
Oak Lake Township vs Darlington Township
133 miles apart. The biggest differences: work from home (+70 pts in Oak Lake Township) and trails (5.4× in Darlington Township).
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.
Oak Lake Township A small town of 109
Quiet strengths Oak Lake Township doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Oak Lake Township →
Darlington Township A small town of 86
Quiet strengths Darlington Township doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Darlington Township →
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
Oak Lake Township Darlington Township
Growing season (days) 145d —
Outdoors & history
Oak Lake Township Darlington Township
Community
Oak Lake Township Darlington Township
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 133 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Oak Lake Township ↔ Darlington Township 133 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
Oak Lake Township Darlington Township
People
Population
109 Highest
86 Lowest
Median age
60 ±21.6 Lowest
58% above SD
62.8 ±9.2 Highest
65% above SD
Darlington Township and Oak Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22.9% ±20.2 Highest
SD: 24.2%
0% ±32.9 Lowest
SD: 24.2%
Oak Lake Township and Darlington Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
29.4% ±39.2 Lowest
SD: 18%
47.7% ±47.8 Highest
SD: 18%
Darlington Township and Oak Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
20.2% Highest
SD: 31.9%
19.8% Lowest
SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±13
SD: 5%
0% ±16.4
SD: 5%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$133,125 ±$117k
77% above SD
—
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$277,700 ±$16k
8% above SD
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,866
31% below SD
—
Below poverty line
0%
SD: 11.9%
0%
SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
100%
SD: 68.6%
100%
SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1973
7 yrs older than SD
—
Getting to work
Work from home
70% ±33.3 Highest
SD: 9.7%
0% ±11.6 Lowest
SD: 9.7%
Work in townworking residents
0%
0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
16.8 mi Highest
8.3 mi Lowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.91 Highest
0.23 Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town
Brookings (49%) Platte (43%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Darlington Township Few work in Oak Lake Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town
4.4% Lowest
5.1% Highest
Trailsmapped miles
1.9 mi Lowest
10.3 mi Highest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.1 mi Lowest
0.3 mi Highest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
0
0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
1.1 Highest
0.9 Lowest
South Dakota average“±” 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.
Oak Lake Township or Darlington Township: which would you pick? →
What’s it really like to live in Oak Lake Township? →
Moving to Oak Lake Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Oak Lake Township’s Town Square.
Darlington Township or Oak Lake Township: which would you pick? →
What’s it really like to live in Darlington Township? →
Moving to Darlington Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Darlington Township’s Town Square.
Add a town Set another town beside Oak Lake Township and Darlington Township One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.
Bordering Oak Lake Township Towns like Oak Lake 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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