Town in South Dakota, United States

Aurora

$285kMedian Home
306Sunny Days/yr
56°FAvg High Temp
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View on MapPopulation650Center elevation1,624 ft
Quick Read

Long cold season, with rain spread fairly evenly through the year. Winter is not just a brief interruption. Noticeable daylight swing. Snow is a real part of winter.

About Aurora

Aurora is a town in Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,047 at the 2020 census.Wikipedia

Long winterEven rainfallNoticeable daylight swing
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Place

Where It Is

Location Context
Aurora, South Dakota
Latitude44.28°
Longitude-96.69°
Population650
Center elevation1,624 ft

State Context

South DakotaU.S. state

South Dakota is a landlocked state in the Upper Midwest, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota Sioux tribe, which comprises a large portion of the population and has historically dominated the territory. South Dakota is the 17th-largest by area, the fifth-least populous, and the fifth-least densely populated of the 50 United States.Wikipedia

Income tax: NoneAvg sales tax: 6.11%Property tax: 1.08%Official school data available

About the Region

Great Plains

The Great Plains represent some of the most genuinely affordable cost of living in the United States. Cities like Omaha, Kansas City, and Des Moines consistently rank near the top of affordability indices while maintaining real cultural amenities. Kansas City has emerged as a surprising food, arts, and startup destination. Omaha's financial services backbone — anchored by Berkshire Hathaway and a cluster of insurance and banking firms — provides white-collar economic stability that defies the region's agricultural image.

The trade-off is climate volatility. Tornado Alley runs directly through this region, with the world's highest concentration of significant tornadoes. Winters bring blizzards and wind chills far below zero, while summers are hot and humid in the east, hotter and drier to the west. The Great Plains remain one of the least densely populated regions in the Lower 48 — long drives between cities, limited public transit, and a car-dependent lifestyle are material considerations for urban transplants.

Outdoors

Nature Access

Nature & Park Feeds

Closest protected landscapes, reserves, and big park systems surfaced from the same nearby feeds used in compare.

Distances in miles
National Park Service feed

Federal Park Sites

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OpenStreetMap feed

Local Nature & Reserves

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Sources: National Park Service and OpenStreetMap
People

City Profile

Median Age35 yrs
College Educated32%bachelor's or higher
Work From Home13%of workforce
Practical

Cost of Living

Housing
$285k
Median home price
Household Income
$79k
Median annual
Daily life

Livability

Getting AroundMixed mobility
Central-location walkability plus available transit and density context

Mixed day-to-day convenience.

Walkability
39
Transit Score
43
Internet
No internet coverage data yet.
The year

Climate

Sunshine
306
sunny days per year
84% of the year
Avg High Temp
56°F
annual average
Humidity Pattern
Damp cool season
67% warm season / 75% cool season
Comfort Score
34/100
Challenging
Temp Swing
57°F
seasonal high-temp spread
Annual precipitation
22"
inches per year
Annual snowfall
28"
inches per year
Typical Air Quality
38
Good · 2024 modeled average
How To Read Comfort

Comfort combines temperature band fit, humidity fit, seasonal swing, and penalties for long stretches of extreme heat or cold. Higher scores mean the yearly pattern stays closer to an easier day-to-day climate band.

Monthly Temperature
Daylight Span (Sunrise to Sunset)
Precipitation Distribution
22" of precipitation per year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Humidity Through The Year
Hover any month for the exact RH value. This is measuring monthly relative humidity, not dew point or current weather.
damp cool season
Summer 67% · Winter 75% · Jun-Jan 60-80%
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Hover a month for exact RH and seasonal context.
Right now

Current Conditions

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