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Parnell Township vs Star Township

86 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (7.1× in Star Township) and property tax bill (+64% in Parnell Township).

P ×
Parnell Township, SDA small town of 131Brookings County · 131 people
S ×
Star Township, SDKnown for its schoolsClay County · 98 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.

Parnell TownshipA small town of 131
Quiet strengthsParnell Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Parnell 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.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Parnell Township$2,060/mo
Typical home $342K (Census) · tax rate 0.92% · Housing →
Star Township$1,940/mo
Typical home $340K (Census) · tax rate 0.57% · Housing →

The difference: $110 a month, about $1,400 a year, between Parnell Township and Star Township.

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.

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.

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
Parnell TownshipStar Township
Snow a year36″31″
January low4°F7°F
July high81°F84°F
Growing season (days)145d151d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)40th66th
Outdoors & history
Parnell TownshipStar Township
Trails2 mi11 mi
Conserved land0%0%
National Register places—1
Community
Parnell TownshipStar 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

86 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Parnell Township ↔ Star Township86 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.

Parnell TownshipStar Township
People
Population 131Highest 98Lowest
Median age 42±10.9Highest 11% above SD 40.4±30.7Lowest 6% above SD
Parnell Township and Star Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 32.8%±16.9Highest SD: 24.2% 31.6%±27.4Lowest SD: 24.2%
Parnell Township and Star Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.1%±19.4Highest SD: 18% 18.4%±33.3Lowest SD: 18%
Parnell Township and Star Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 32.2%Highest SD: 31.9% 25%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±10.8Lowest SD: 5% 15.3%±22.9Highest SD: 5%
Star Township and Parnell Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $86,250±$23k 15% above SD —
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $342,300±$130kHighest 33% above SD $340,000±$195kLowest 32% above SD
Parnell Township and Star Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,161Highest 16% above SD $1,929Lowest 29% 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 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD 1971Highest 9 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 6% above SD 27 minHighest 50% above SD
Work from home 30.9%±9.6Highest SD: 9.7% 0%±22.2Lowest SD: 9.7%
Parnell Township and Star 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 11.3 miLowest 30.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.66Highest 0.31Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Brookings (56%)Sioux Falls (29%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Star TownshipFew work in Parnell Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 1.5 miLowest 10.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.3Highest 0.9Lowest
Schools
School district —Irene - Wakonda School District 13-3
High school in town —None in town
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.

Parnell Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Parnell Township’s Town Square.

Star Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Star Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Parnell Township

Towns like Parnell 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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