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Oslo Township vs Medary Township

Next-door neighbors in Brookings County. The biggest differences: street grid (3.1× in Medary Township) and size (5.9× in Medary Township).

O ×
Oslo Township, SDAn outdoors townBrookings County · 246 people
M ×
Medary Township, SDOne of the healthiest townsBrookings County · 1,452 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.

Oslo TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors15.5% conserved land1.8 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves All about Oslo Township →
Medary TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 84%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors12.5% conserved land0.6 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Medary Township →
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.

Street grid3.1×
Medary Township has the more walkable street grid
Medary Township 2.8Oslo Township 0.9
Size5.9×
Medary Township is the bigger place
Medary Township 1,452Oslo Township 246
Trails3×
Oslo Township has more miles of trail
Oslo Township 1.8 miMedary Township 0.6 mi
Jobs per worker2.5×
Oslo Township is more of a job hub
Oslo Township 0.35Medary Township 0.14
Typical home built30 yrs
Oslo Township’s homes are older
Medary Township 1993Oslo Township 1963
Homeowners+16.8 pts renters
Oslo Township has more renters
Medary Township 83.5%Oslo Township 66.7%
★ What stands out · Where they are

Oslo Township and Medary Township share a border

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

Oslo TownshipMedary TownshipOslo TownshipMedary Township
Oslo Township ↔ Medary Township7.0 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
4 Oslo Township residents work in Medary Township (3.5% of its workers)
Work & commute in Oslo Township →
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.

Health
–Oslo TownshipNot graded A−Medary TownshipHealthier than 84% 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
Oslo TownshipMedary Township
Snow a year36″36″
January low4°F4°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)145d145d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)57th62nd
Outdoors & history
Oslo TownshipMedary Township
Trails2 mi1 mi
Conserved land15.5%12.5%
National Register places—2
Community
Oslo TownshipMedary 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.

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.

Oslo TownshipMedary Township
People
Population 246Lowest 1,452Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -0.4% SD: +8.9%
Median age 28.6±2.2Lowest 25% below SD 33.6±15.3Highest 12% below SD
Medary Township and Oslo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26%±20Highest SD: 24.2% 25.5%±7.8Lowest SD: 24.2%
Oslo Township and Medary Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.4%±15.6Highest SD: 18% 13.1%±5.5Lowest SD: 18%
Oslo Township and Medary Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26.4%Lowest SD: 31.9% 37.8%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±5.7Lowest SD: 5% 9.8%±8Highest SD: 5%
Medary Township and Oslo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $80,595±$71kLowest 7% above SD $107,583±$32kHighest 43% above SD
Medary Township and Oslo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied — $312,400±$46k 21% above SD
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $859±$14 9% below SD
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,688Lowest about the SD average $3,286Highest 21% above SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±62.5 SD: 39.8% 0%±26 SD: 39.8%
Below poverty line 0%Lowest SD: 11.9% 6.7%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 66.7%Lowest SD: 68.6% 83.5%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than SD 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minHighest 30% above SD 17 minLowest 7% below SD
Work from home 0%±8.8Lowest SD: 9.7% 15.5%±11.1Highest SD: 9.7%
Medary Township and Oslo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 0.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.8 miHighest 7.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.35Highest 0.14Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Brookings (41%)Brookings (56%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 3% work in Medary TownshipFew work in Oslo Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 15.5%Highest 12.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.8 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.9Lowest 2.8Highest
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.

Oslo Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Oslo Township’s Town Square.

Medary Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Medary Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Oslo Township

L
+ Compare
Lake Sinai Township156 people · $231K homes
V
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Volga Township124 people
S
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Summit Township159 people · $254K homes

Towns like Oslo Township

C
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Capitola Township192 people · $179K homes
S
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Sinai215 people · $89K homes
B
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Butler Township169 people · $163K homes
B
+ Compare
Bryan Township341 people · $293K 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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