Compare towns
Ward vs Jefferson Township 115 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (26× in Ward) and typical home built (64 yrs in Ward).
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Ward, SD A small town of 52 South Dakota · 52 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.
Ward A small town of 52
Quiet strengths Ward doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Ward →
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.
★ 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.
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
Famous people born here — 2 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 115 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Ward ↔ Jefferson Township 115 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
52 Lowest 119 Highest
Median age
31.7 ±29.9 Lowest 17% below SD 31.9 ±34.9 Highest 16% below SD
Kids under 18
17.3% ±40.9 Lowest SD: 24.2% 32.8% ±19.8 Highest SD: 24.2%
Age 65+
3.8% ±64 Highest SD: 18% 1.7% ±28 Lowest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
41.5% Lowest SD: 31.9% 43.8% Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±27.2 SD: 5% 0% ±11.9 SD: 5%
Household incomemedian
$76,875 ±$39k about the SD average —
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$151,300 ±$70k 41% below SD —
Below poverty line
0% Lowest SD: 11.9% 1.7% Highest SD: 11.9%
Homeownersof occupied homes
88.5% Lowest SD: 68.6% 93.9% Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938 Lowest 42 yrs older than SD 2002 Highest 22 yrs newer than SD
Average commuteone way
21 min 20% above SD —
Work from home
0% ±24.4 Lowest SD: 9.7% 60.7% ±65.3 Highest SD: 9.7%
Work in townworking residents
0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
25.8 mi Lowest 50.8 mi Highest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
1.25 Highest 0.60 Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town
Sioux Falls (31%) Redfield (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Jefferson Township Few work in Ward
Conserved landshare of the town
0% Lowest 1.5% Highest
Trailsmapped miles
0.0 mi Lowest 10.0 mi Highest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.0 mi Lowest 0.2 mi Highest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
20.8 Highest 0.8 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.
Ward or Jefferson Township: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Ward? → Moving to Ward: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Ward’s Town Square.
Jefferson Township or Ward: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Jefferson Township? → Moving to Jefferson Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Jefferson 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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