Compare towns
Summit Township vs Columbia Township 61 miles apart. The biggest differences: conserved land (+47.5 pts in Summit Township) and trails (3.8× in Columbia 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.
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
Outdoors & history
Community
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 61 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Summit Township ↔ Columbia Township 61 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
Population
27 Lowest 41 Highest
Median age
53.5 ±56.4 Highest 41% above SD 52.3 ±0.3 Lowest 38% above SD
Kids under 18
29.6% ±100 Lowest SD: 24.2% 39% ±62.8 Highest SD: 24.2%
Age 65+
48.1% ±100 Highest SD: 18% 24.4% ±82.2 Lowest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
47.4% Highest SD: 31.9% 40% Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±52.4 SD: 5% 0% ±34.5 SD: 5%
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$316,700 ±$303k 23% above SD —
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,813 33% below SD —
Below poverty line
11.1% Highest SD: 11.9% 0% Lowest SD: 11.9%
Homeownersof occupied homes
100% SD: 68.6% 100% SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961 19 yrs older than SD —
Work from home
0% ±100 SD: 9.7% —
Work in townworking residents
0% Lowest 2.6% Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
21.8 mi Highest 16.8 mi Lowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.00 Lowest 0.37 Highest
Top workplaceoutside town
Sisseton (18%) Aberdeen (63%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Columbia Township Few work in Summit Township
Conserved landshare of the town
69.2% Highest 21.7% Lowest
Trailsmapped miles
1.1 mi Lowest 4.2 mi Highest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.0 mi Lowest 0.1 mi Highest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
3 Highest 1 Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
1.1 Highest 0.9 Lowest
“±” 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.
Summit Township or Columbia Township: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Summit Township? → Moving to Summit Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Summit Township’s Town Square.
Columbia Township or Summit Township: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Columbia Township? → Moving to Columbia Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Columbia Township’s Town Square.
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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