Compare towns

Scotland vs Onida

159 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+61% in Onida) and rent (+58% in Onida).

Scotland, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 851 people

Onida, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 644 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.

ScotlandKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 18%of SD districts

HistorySettled in 18797 places on the National Register All about Scotland →

OnidaKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 71%of SD districts Housing$253K typical home21% below the SD typical home

HistorySettled in 18802 places on the National Register All about Onida →

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.

Home values+61%

Homes cost more in Onida

Onida $178,600Scotland $110,700

Rent+58%

Rent runs higher in Onida

Onida $939Scotland $593

Work in town+22.2 pts

More of Onida’s workers stay in town

Onida 34%Scotland 11.8%

Growth since 2010+7.9 pts

Onida has grown faster since 2010

Onida +1.2%Scotland -6.7%

Typical home built17 yrs

Scotland’s homes are older

Onida 1974Scotland 1957

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $820 more a month in Onida

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%

Scotland$700/mo

Typical home $111K (Census) · tax rate 1.30% · or rent about $593/mo · Housing →

Onida$1,520/mo

Typical home $253K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.92% · or rent about $939/mo · Housing →

The difference: $820 a month, about $9,800 a year, between Onida and Scotland.

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.

Schools

C−ScotlandBetter than 18% of districts in the state B+OnidaBetter than 71% of districts in the state

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

ScotlandOnida

Snow a year39″49″

January low10°F 7°F

July high86°F 87°F

Growing season (days)156d 147d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th 67th

Outdoors & history

ScotlandOnida

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land0%—

Settled1879 1880

National Register places7 2

Archive photos—5

Famous people born here—4

Community

ScotlandOnida

Library hours a week18 hrs 16 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

159 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ScotlandSD OnidaSD

Scotland ↔ Onida159 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

ScotlandOnida

People

Population 851Highest 644Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -6.7%Lowest SD: +8.9% +1.2%Highest SD: +8.9%

Median age 40.3±11Lowest 6% above SD 42.2±10.3Highest 11% above SD

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

Kids under 18 26.1%±3.4Lowest SD: 24.2% 27.2%±5.2Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 26.1%±2.5Highest SD: 18% 22.4%±4.7Lowest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 27.2%Lowest SD: 31.9% 29.6%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.5%±1.6Lowest SD: 5% 2%±1.6Highest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $63,250±$10kLowest 16% below SD $70,000±$8kHighest 7% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $110,700±$19kLowest 57% below SD $178,600±$30kHighest 31% below SD

Rentmedian gross, monthly $593±$39Lowest 37% below SD $939±$98Highest about the SD average

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,434Lowest 47% below SD $1,636Highest 40% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 27.3%±26.6Lowest SD: 39.8% 43.1%±33.2Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 14%Highest SD: 11.9% 4.9%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 77.7%Lowest SD: 68.6% 80.1%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than SD 1974Highest 6 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minLowest about the SD average 18 minHighest about the SD average

Work from home 2.6%±1.9Lowest SD: 9.7% 6%±4.8Highest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 11.8%Lowest 34%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.3 miHighest 18.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.93Lowest 1.24Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Yankton (18%)Pierre (15%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in OnidaFew work in Scotland

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 95.3Highest 90.1Lowest

Schools

School district Scotland School District 04-3Agar-Blunt-Onida School District 58-3

High school in town Scotland High School - 01Sully Buttes High School - 07

Students per teacherat that high school 7.5Lowest 9.6Highest

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.

Scotland neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Scotland’s Town Square.

Onida neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Onida’s Town Square.

Add a town

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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.

Scotland vs Onida

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $820 more a month in Onida

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

159 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

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Towns like Scotland

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