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Compare towns

Willow Lake vs Ethan

77 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.3× in Ethan) and property tax bill (+31% in Willow Lake).

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Willow Lake, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 433 people
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Ethan, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 346 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.

Willow LakeKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 31%of SD districts All about Willow Lake →
EthanKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 97%of SD districts All about Ethan →
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.

Street grid2.3×
Ethan has the more walkable street grid
Ethan 146Willow Lake 64.2
Property tax bill+31%
Tax bills are bigger in Willow Lake
Willow Lake $2,212Ethan $1,688
Average commute6 min
Willow Lake has the shorter commute
Ethan 28 minWillow Lake 23 min
Typical home built13 yrs
Willow Lake’s homes are older
Ethan 1962Willow Lake 1949
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $920 more a month in Ethan

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.

Willow Lake$970/mo
Typical home $149K (Census) · tax rate 1.48% · or rent about $815/mo · Housing →
Ethan$1,890/mo
Typical home $306K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $878/mo · Housing →

The difference: $920 a month, about $11,100 a year, between Ethan and Willow Lake.

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.

Schools
CWillow LakeBetter than 31% of districts in the state A+EthanBetter than 97% 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
Willow LakeEthan
Snow a year48″36″
January low—6°F
July high—84°F
Growing season (days)—143d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)39th49th
Outdoors & history
Willow LakeEthan
National Register places1—
Community
Willow LakeEthan
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

77 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Willow LakeSDEthanSD
Willow Lake ↔ Ethan77 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.

Willow LakeEthan
People
Population 433Highest 346Lowest
Median age 17.5±6.9Lowest 54% below SD 26.3±5.9Highest 31% below SD
Ethan and Willow Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 51%±30.2Highest SD: 24.2% 37%±8.3Lowest SD: 24.2%
Willow Lake and Ethan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 8.8%±4.7Highest SD: 18% 7.2%±5.8Lowest SD: 18%
Willow Lake and Ethan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.7%Highest SD: 31.9% 17.1%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3%±2.1Lowest SD: 5% 4%±4Highest SD: 5%
Ethan and Willow Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $72,875±$19kHighest about the SD average $60,417±$11kLowest 20% below SD
Willow Lake and Ethan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $149,000±$52kLowest 42% below SD $152,300±$33kHighest 41% below SD
Ethan and Willow Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $815±$256Lowest 14% below SD $878±$200Highest 7% below SD
Ethan and Willow Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,212Highest 19% below SD $1,688Lowest 38% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 4.8%±41.7Lowest SD: 39.8% 35.7%±38.6Highest SD: 39.8%
Ethan and Willow Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 1.2%Lowest SD: 11.9% 12.1%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.2%Lowest SD: 68.6% 65.6%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1949Lowest 31 yrs older than SD 1962Highest 18 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 26% above SD 28 minHighest 59% above SD
Work from home 15.6%±18.7Lowest SD: 9.7% 18%±10Highest SD: 9.7%
Ethan and Willow Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.8%Highest 2.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.8 miHighest 12.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.03Highest 0.70Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Clark (17%)Mitchell (44%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in EthanFew work in Willow Lake
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 64.2Lowest 146Highest
Schools
School district Willow Lake School District 12-3Ethan School District 17-1
High school in town Willow Lake High School - 01Ethan High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 11.1Lowest 11.3Highest
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.

Willow Lake neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Willow Lake’s Town Square.

Ethan neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ethan’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Willow Lake and Ethan

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Bordering Willow Lake

C
+ Compare
Collins Township203 people · $334K homes
L
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Lake Township51 people · $329K homes

Towns like Willow Lake

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Lawrence Township501 people · $259K homes
T
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Timber Lake779 people · $81K homes
L
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Long Hollow Township291 people · $193K homes
L
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Lake Norden889 people · $193K 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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