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Washington Township vs Torrey Lake Township

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: conserved land (+33.3 pts in Washington Township) and trails (2.7× in Torrey Lake Township).

W ×
Washington Township, SDAn outdoors townAurora County · 52 people
T ×
Torrey Lake Township, SDKnown for its schoolsBrule County · 205 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.

Washington TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors38.6% conserved land1.3 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves All about Washington Township →
Torrey Lake TownshipKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 90%of SD districts All about Torrey Lake 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.

Conserved land+33.3 pts
Washington Township has more conserved land
Washington Township 38.6%Torrey Lake Township 5.3%
Trails2.7×
Torrey Lake Township has more miles of trail
Torrey Lake Township 3.5 miWashington Township 1.3 mi
Homeowners+25.8 pts renters
Torrey Lake Township has more renters
Washington Township 95%Torrey Lake Township 69.2%
Size3.9×
Torrey Lake Township is the bigger place
Torrey Lake Township 205Washington Township 52
Jobs per worker2.3×
Torrey Lake Township is more of a job hub
Torrey Lake Township 0.16Washington Township 0.07
Bachelor’s degree++8.3 pts
More adults in Washington Township have a degree
Washington Township 20%Torrey Lake Township 11.7%
★ What stands out · Where they are

Washington Township and Torrey Lake Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Washington TownshipTorrey Lake TownshipWashington TownshipTorrey Lake Township
Washington Township ↔ Torrey Lake Township6.9 miles apart · They share a border
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
–Washington TownshipNot graded ATorrey Lake TownshipBetter than 90% 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
Washington TownshipTorrey Lake Township
Snow a year46″46″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)48th65th
Outdoors & history
Washington TownshipTorrey Lake Township
Trails1 mi4 mi
Conserved land38.6%5.3%
National Register places—1
Community
Washington TownshipTorrey Lake 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 TownshipTorrey Lake Township
People
Population 52Lowest 205Highest
Median age 43.5±26.4Highest 14% above SD 38.2±49Lowest about the SD average
Washington Township and Torrey Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 34.6%±28.9Lowest SD: 24.2% 43.4%±10.6Highest SD: 24.2%
Torrey Lake Township and Washington 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% 20.5%±24.7Lowest SD: 18%
Washington Township and Torrey Lake 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% 11.7%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±27.2 SD: 5% 0%±6.9 SD: 5%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian — $120,694±$713 61% above SD
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $218,800±$190k 15% below SD —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,393 49% below SD —
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±100 SD: 39.8% —
Below poverty line 0%Lowest SD: 11.9% 10.2%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 95%Highest SD: 68.6% 69.2%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD 1949Highest 31 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Work from home 36%±24.9Highest SD: 9.7% 18.8%±23Lowest SD: 9.7%
Washington Township and Torrey Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 2.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miLowest 54.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.07Lowest 0.16Highest
Top workplaceoutside town White Lake (21%)Sioux Falls (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Torrey Lake TownshipFew work in Washington Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 38.6%Highest 5.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miLowest 3.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.6 0.6
Schools
School district —Platte - Geddes School District 11-5
High school in town —None in town
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.

Torrey Lake Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Torrey Lake Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Washington Township

C
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Center Township40 people · $30K homes
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Gales Township57 people · $188K 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
T
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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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