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Washington Township vs Gales Township

Next-door neighbors in Aurora County. The biggest differences: typical home built (73 yrs in Washington Township) and homeowners (+45 pts renters in Gales Township).

W ×
Washington Township, SDAn outdoors townAurora County · 52 people
G ×
Gales Township, SDA small town of 57Aurora County · 57 people
Swap order
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.

Washington TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors38.6% conserved land1.3 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves All about Washington Township →
Gales TownshipA small town of 57
Quiet strengthsGales Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Gales Township →
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.

Typical home built73 yrs
Washington Township’s homes are older
Gales Township 2011Washington Township 1938
Homeowners+45 pts renters
Gales Township has more renters
Washington Township 95%Gales Township 50%
Trails2.6×
Washington Township has more miles of trail
Washington Township 1.3 miGales Township 0.5 mi
Property tax bill+44%
Tax bills are bigger in Gales Township
Gales Township $2,000Washington Township $1,393
Bachelor’s degree++14.4 pts
More adults in Washington Township have a degree
Washington Township 20%Gales Township 5.6%
Conserved land+9.3 pts
Gales Township has more conserved land
Gales Township 47.9%Washington Township 38.6%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Washington Township$1,260/mo
Typical home $219K (Census) · tax rate 0.64% · Housing →
Gales Township$1,150/mo
Typical home $188K (Census) · tax rate 1.07% · Housing →

The difference: $110 a month, about $1,400 a year, between Washington Township and Gales Township.

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.

Where they are

Washington Township and Gales Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Washington TownshipGales TownshipWashington TownshipGales Township
Washington Township ↔ Gales Township6.0 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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
Washington TownshipGales Township
Snow a year46″38″
January low—8°F
July high—86°F
Growing season (days)—153d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)48th48th
Outdoors & history
Washington TownshipGales Township
Trails1 mi—
Conserved land38.6%—
Community
Washington TownshipGales Township
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.

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.

Washington TownshipGales Township
People
Population 52Lowest 57Highest
Median age 43.5±26.4Highest 14% above SD 28.5±47Lowest 25% below SD
Washington Township and Gales Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 34.6%±28.9Highest SD: 24.2% 31.6%±40.1Lowest SD: 24.2%
Washington Township and Gales Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 28.8%±52.1Highest SD: 18% 17.5%±50Lowest SD: 18%
Washington Township and Gales Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20%Highest SD: 31.9% 5.6%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±27.2Lowest SD: 5% 1.8%±17.8Highest SD: 5%
Gales Township and Washington Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian — $80,500±$3k 7% above SD
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $218,800±$190kHighest 15% below SD $187,500±$57kLowest 27% below SD
Washington Township and Gales Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,393Lowest 49% below SD $2,000Highest 27% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±100Highest SD: 39.8% 0%±100Lowest SD: 39.8%
Washington Township and Gales Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 0%Lowest SD: 11.9% 5.3%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 95%Highest SD: 68.6% 50%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD 2011Highest 31 yrs newer than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way — 64 min 262% above SD
Work from home 36%±24.9Highest SD: 9.7% 18.2%±18.1Lowest SD: 9.7%
Washington Township and Gales Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miLowest 33.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.07Highest 0.00Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town White Lake (21%)White Lake (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Gales TownshipFew work in Washington Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 38.6%Lowest 47.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
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 0.6Lowest 0.7Highest
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.

Washington Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Washington Township’s Town Square.

Gales Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Gales Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Washington Township

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+ Compare
Torrey Lake Township205 people
C
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Center Township40 people · $30K homes
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Joubert Township35 people · $113K homes
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Wilbur Township80 people

Towns like Washington Township

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Belford Township64 people · $223K homes
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Leola Township80 people
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Taylor Township60 people · $356K homes
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Roswell Township32 people

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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