Skip to content

TownTapestry

Find a town

Guest, Sign inJoin

Compare towns

Platte vs Elkton

132 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3.2× in Platte) and work in town (+32.8 pts in Platte).

×

Platte, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 1,161 people

×

Elkton, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 977 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.

PlatteKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 90%of SD districts HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Platte →

ElktonKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 10%of SD districts All about Elkton →

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 grid3.2×

Platte has the more walkable street grid

Platte 127Elkton 39.2

Work in town+32.8 pts

More of Platte’s workers stay in town

Platte 37.3%Elkton 4.5%

Age 65++12.4 pts

Platte has more people 65 and up

Platte 19.3%Elkton 6.9%

Average commute8 min

Platte has the shorter commute

Elkton 16 minPlatte 8 min

Jobs per worker+69%

Platte is more of a job hub

Platte 1.47Elkton 0.87

Homeowners+8.4 pts renters

Elkton has more renters

Platte 70.7%Elkton 62.3%

★ What stands out · 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

APlatteBetter than 90% of districts in the state DElktonBetter than 10% of districts in the state

Health

BPlatteHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns –ElktonNot graded

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $280 more a month in Platte

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%

Platte$2,170/mo

Typical home $357K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.99% · or rent about $832/mo · Housing →

Elkton$1,880/mo

Typical home $305K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $1,061/mo · Housing →

The difference: $280 a month, about $3,400 a year, between Platte and Elkton.

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

PlatteElkton

Snow a year46″40″

January low—4°F

July high—81°F

Growing season (days)—148d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)51st 40th

Outdoors & history

PlatteElkton

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land2%—

Settled—1880

National Register places2 1

Archive photos7 3

Famous people born here9 3

Community

PlatteElkton

Library hours a week27 hrs 20 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

132 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PlatteSD ElktonSD

Platte ↔ Elkton132 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

PlatteElkton

People

Population 1,161Highest 977Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.4%Highest SD: +8.9% +2.6%Lowest SD: +8.9%

Median age 35.6±6.2Highest 6% below SD 30.9±5.5Lowest 19% below SD

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

Kids under 18 24.6%±5.6Lowest SD: 24.2% 33.4%±8Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 19.3%±5Highest SD: 18% 6.9%±3.2Lowest SD: 18%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22.4%Highest SD: 31.9% 21.6%Lowest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±1.4Lowest SD: 5% 3.2%±2.5Highest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $72,700±$27kHighest 3% below SD $69,688±$22kLowest 7% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $179,200±$63kLowest 30% below SD $185,100±$24kHighest 28% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $832±$244Lowest 12% below SD $1,061±$249Highest 12% above SD

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,782Lowest 35% below SD $2,058Highest 24% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 21.6%±16.5Lowest SD: 39.8% 81.1%±65.2Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 14.7%Lowest SD: 11.9% 26.7%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 70.7%Highest SD: 68.6% 62.3%Lowest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than SD 1975Highest 5 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 8 minLowest 54% below SD 16 minHighest 9% below SD

Work from home 8.2%±5.3Highest SD: 9.7% 5.7%±6Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 37.3%Highest 4.5%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 4.8 miLowest 15.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.47Highest 0.87Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Platte Township (12%)Brookings (52%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ElktonFew work in Platte

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 127Highest 39.2Lowest

Schools

School district Platte - Geddes School District 11-5Elkton School District 05-3

High school in town Platte - Geddes High School - 01Elkton High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school 11.4Lowest 13.9Highest

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.

Platte neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Platte’s Town Square.

Elkton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elkton’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Platte and Elkton

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

Towns like Platte

Ipswich1,048 people · $165K homes

Freeman1,565 people · $164K homes

Salem1,216 people · $167K homes

Arlington920 people · $144K 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.