Town · Brookings County, South Dakota

Aurora, South Dakota

Aurora is a town in Brookings County, South Dakota, part of the Brookings, SD metro area. It has 1,444 residents. Aurora, South Dakota has a quality-of-life score of 93 out of 100 (very high), ranking #1,169 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within South Dakota it ranks #11 of 75 cities and towns. It ranks best on income inequality (Gini index) (low), high school diploma or higher (high) and injury deaths (low). It ranks worst on pharmacies (low), grocery stores (low) and new business applications (low).

93Very high

Quality-of-life score: #1,169 of 15,651 cities and towns
South Dakota: #11 of 75 in SD
Population: 1,444 (2020-2024)
Land area: 1 mi²
Density: 1,726.1 /mi²
FIPS code: 4602780

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety96#659/15,637
Economy87#2,030/15,631
Housing97#475/14,977
Health82#2,779/15,609
Healthcare51#7,730/15,650
Environment90#1,557/15,453
Education76#3,826/15,649
Infrastructure88#1,815/15,650
Community43#8,934/15,651
Leisure & amenities62#5,880/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Aurora, South Dakota ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Brookings County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.295
100/100South Dakota 0.449United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
High school diploma or higher · high97.7%
100/100South Dakota 93.2%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Injury deaths · low41 /100k
99/100South Dakota 90 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBrookings County value
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low4.7 µg/m³
97/100South Dakota 5.1 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyBrookings County value
Rent-burdened households · low30.7%
97/100South Dakota 39.8%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Time spent in the emergency room · low97 min
97/100South Dakota 115 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesBrookings County value

Weaknesses

Pharmacies · low0.0 /10k
1/100South Dakota 1.4 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsBrookings County value
Grocery stores · low0.5 /10k
2/100South Dakota 2.0 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsBrookings County value
New business applications · low7.4 /1k
4/100South Dakota 12.9 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauBrookings County value
Distance to an Amtrak station · high156 mi
4/100South Dakota 185 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauBrookings County value
Voter turnout · low57.7%
16/100South Dakota 65.2%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionBrookings County value
Primary care shortage · high15.0
21/100South Dakota 8.6United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationBrookings County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
792 (2015-2019) → 1,444 (2020-2024)
+82%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
New homes permittedWorsening
14.2 /1k (2021) → 2.8 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−80%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
15.3% (2015-2019) → 30.7% (2020-2024)
+15 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
28.4% (2015-2019) → 42.8% (2020-2024)
+14 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
83.4% (2015-2019) → 94.9% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Median household incomeImproving
$76,250 (2015-2019) → $95,952 (2020-2024)
+26%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Aurora, South Dakota improved on 3 of 11 measures with a comparison and declined on 2. 6 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved3

Bachelor's++14 points28.4% → 42.8%
Broadband+12 points83.4% → 94.9%
Household income+26%$76,250 → $95,952

Declined2

Unemployment+3.3 points0.0% → 3.3%
Rent / income+5 points17.9% → 22.9%

All 11 measures

Change of every measure of Aurora, South Dakota between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	16.6 min2015-2019	16.6 min2020-2024	−0.0 min	Within the margin of error	47%
Bachelor's degree or higher	28.4%2015-2019	42.8%2020-2024	+14 points	Improved	97%
Broadband subscriptions	83.4%2015-2019	94.9%2020-2024	+12 points	Improved	67%
Effective property tax rate	1.56%2015-2019	1.21%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	79%
High school diploma or higher	96.1%2015-2019	97.7%2020-2024	+1.5 points	Within the margin of error	53%
Home price to income ratio	2.1×2015-2019	2.4×2020-2024	+0.3×	Within the margin of error	60%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.2942015-2019	0.2952020-2024	+0.001	Within the margin of error	50%
Median household income	$76,2502015-2019	$95,9522020-2024	+26%	Improved	46%
Poverty rate	3.9%2015-2019	2.7%2020-2024	−1.2 points	Within the margin of error	55%
Rent as share of income	17.9%2015-2019	22.9%2020-2024	+5 points	Declined	22%
Unemployment rate	0.0%2015-2019	3.3%2020-2024	+3.3 points	Declined	8%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Aurora, South Dakota five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Aurora, South Dakota in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Aurora, South Dakota itself moved +3.5 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,444 residents (±285)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under 10 women (−8.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,444 residents (±285)

Aurora, South Dakota
South Dakota share

White87%1,260
Black1.0%†15
Hispanic or Latino8.0%†116

Education

895 residents (±157)

Aurora, South Dakota
South Dakota share

No high school diploma2.3%†21
High school or GED17%†154
Some college21%†

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

612 households (±119)

Aurora, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under $25k5.1%†31
$25k–50k23%†140
$50k–75k14%†83
$75k–100k12%†74
$100k–150k38%230
$150k–200k6.5%†40
$200k or more2.3%†14

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $75k–100k (−21.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

612 households (±119)

Aurora, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Own75%459
Rent25%†153

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

153 households (±63)

Aurora, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under $75011%†17
$750–1,00048%†74
$1,000–1,50020%†30

Home values

459 homes (±105)

Aurora, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under $150k12%†56
$150k–250k48%†220
$250k–400k37%169

Age of homes

635 homes (±119)

Aurora, South Dakota
South Dakota share

2010 or later50%319
2000–20099.6%†61
1980–199912%†79

Size of homes

635 homes (±119)

Aurora, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Studio0.0%0
1 bedroom9.6%†61
2 bedrooms23%†147

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

904 workers (±211)

Aurora, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Drive alone80%727
Carpool4.9%†44
Public transit1.3%†12
Walk1.5%†14
Bike0.0%0
Work from home11%†103
Other0.4%†4

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+9.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

801 workers (±185)

Aurora, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under 15 min41%327
15–29 min50%†397
30–44 min5.4%†43

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Brookings, SD

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Brookings County, the county holding most of Aurora's residents.

Brookings County has 958 employer establishments, 267 for every 10,000 residents (1.08× the US rate of 248; 0.84× South Dakota's), with 15,151 paid employees at an average annual pay of $47,225. The Census Bureau also counts 2,427 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 958; 2,427 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 267; US 248 · South Dakota 317
Paid employees: 15,151
Average annual pay: $47,225; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Brookings County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	79	22.1	1.42×More than typical	358	$61,299	157
Restaurants and other eating places	60	16.7	0.91×About typical	1,249	$18,361	11
Ambulatory health care services	54	15.1	0.72×Fewer than typical	418	$51,194	69
Construction of buildings	37	10.3	1.37×More than typical	199	$60,935	67
Truck transportation	37	10.3	2.04×More than typical	182	$60,022	59
Lessors of real estate	36	10	0.82×About typical	184	$43,560	370
Building equipment contractors	33	9.2	1.53×More than typical	169	$51,101	16
Religious organizations	31	8.7	1.56×More than typical	244	$21,721	—
Limited-service restaurants	30	8.4	1.04×About typical	547	$18,952	3
Services to buildings and dwellings	28	7.8	1.16×About typical	145	$27,628	131
Full-service restaurants	24	6.7	0.87×About typical	575	$19,847	7
Automotive repair and maintenance	23	6.4	1.27×More than typical	107	$42,215	28

Rank places for an industry Open Brookings County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 35,827 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

No federal contract obligations recorded here in FY2026.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Aurora is mostly in Brookings County.

See federal money in Brookings County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Aurora, South Dakota is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Dusty JohnsonR-SD · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 4.7%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Brookings County94100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Brookings, SD97

Other cities and towns in Brookings County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

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