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Compare towns

Wagner vs Elkton

121 miles apart. The biggest differences: work in town (+38.2 pts in Wagner) and rent (+55% in Elkton).

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Wagner, SDOne of the safest townsSouth Dakota · 1,529 people
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Elkton, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 977 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.

WagnerOne of the safest towns
SafetySafer than 5%of U.S. towns we grade Work1,047 jobsbased in Wagner, a regional job hub Health90% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Wagner →
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.

Work in town+38.2 pts
More of Wagner’s workers stay in town
Wagner 42.7%Elkton 4.5%
Rent+55%
Rent runs higher in Elkton
Elkton $1,061Wagner $684
Home values+36%
Homes cost more in Elkton
Elkton $185,100Wagner $136,000
Jobs per worker2.4×
Wagner is more of a job hub
Wagner 2.06Elkton 0.87
Age 65++12.7 pts
Wagner has more people 65 and up
Wagner 19.6%Elkton 6.9%
Growth since 2010+7.5 pts
Elkton has grown faster since 2010
Elkton +2.6%Wagner -4.9%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,040 more a month in Elkton

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.

Wagner$850/mo
Typical home $136K (Census) · tax rate 1.18% · or rent about $684/mo · Housing →
Elkton$1,880/mo
Typical home $305K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $1,061/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,040 a month, about $12,400 a year, between Elkton and Wagner.

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.

Safety
DWagnerSafer than 5% of U.S. towns –ElktonNot graded
Schools
CWagnerBetter than 26% of districts in the state DElktonBetter than 10% of districts in the state
Health
DWagnerHealthier than 10% of U.S. towns –ElktonNot graded
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
WagnerElkton
Snow a year31″40″
January low12°F4°F
July high87°F81°F
Growing season (days)165d148d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)43rd40th
Outdoors & history
WagnerElkton
Settled19001880
National Register places—1
Archive photos33
Famous people born here33
Community
WagnerElkton
Library hours a week38 hrs20 hrs
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

121 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WagnerSDElktonSD
Wagner ↔ Elkton121 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.

WagnerElkton
People
Population 1,529Highest 977Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.9%Lowest SD: +8.9% +2.6%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 34.3±5.1Highest 10% below SD 30.9±5.5Lowest 19% below SD
Wagner and Elkton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29.8%±5Lowest SD: 24.2% 33.4%±8Highest SD: 24.2%
Elkton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.6%±4Highest SD: 18% 6.9%±3.2Lowest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22.6%Highest SD: 31.9% 21.6%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.2%±1.4Lowest SD: 5% 3.2%±2.5Highest SD: 5%
Elkton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $47,462±$6kLowest 37% below SD $69,688±$22kHighest 7% below SD
Elkton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $136,000±$16kLowest 47% below SD $185,100±$24kHighest 28% below SD
Rentmedian gross, monthly $684±$127Lowest 28% below SD $1,061±$249Highest 12% above SD
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,607Lowest 41% below SD $2,058Highest 24% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.9%±11.9Lowest SD: 39.8% 81.1%±65.2Highest SD: 39.8%
Elkton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 15.7%Lowest SD: 11.9% 26.7%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 55.5%Lowest SD: 68.6% 62.3%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than SD 1975Highest 5 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 12 minLowest 33% below SD 16 minHighest 9% below SD
Work from home 0.9%±1Lowest SD: 9.7% 5.7%±6Highest SD: 9.7%
Elkton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 42.7%Highest 4.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 5.8 miLowest 15.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.06Highest 0.87Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Dante (11%)Brookings (52%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ElktonFew work in Wagner
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 58.1Highest 39.2Lowest
Schools
School district Wagner Community School District 11-4Elkton School District 05-3
High school in town Wagner High School - 01Elkton High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 11.7Lowest 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.

Wagner neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wagner’s Town Square.

Elkton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elkton’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Wagner and Elkton

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Bordering Wagner

B
+ Compare
Bryan Township341 people · $293K homes
L
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Lawrence Township501 people · $259K homes

Towns like Wagner

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Sisseton2,670 people · $109K homes
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Flandreau2,392 people · $150K homes
G
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Gregory1,379 people · $115K homes
F
+ Compare
Faulkton670 people · $100K 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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