Alton TownshipSD
A town of 269.
Is Alton Township a good place to live?
Elias B. Olsen Ranch is on the National Register of Historic Places. Alton Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
269 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Alton Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Alton Township, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Alton Township.
More middle-aged adults than South Dakota overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 57% of residents (36% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 6% of residents (22% statewide). The midpoint age in Alton Township is 57.8 years. 269 people lived in Alton Township by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, 10% more than in 2020. In Alton Township, 26% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
| Alton Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.8 years | 39.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 26% | 33% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 12% and 84% women
The Census survey reached too few of Alton Township’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±35.6 points. Across South Dakota, 49.2% of residents are women.
| Alton Township | SD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 5.3% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.3% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 2% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 4.7% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.7% | 10.7% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 46% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.3% | 11% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.7% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.1% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 54% | 29% | 26% |
| Some college | 9.7% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 3.5% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.2% | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.4% | 10% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 300, single groups can be off by several points
The schools Alton Township’s kids attend
Its one school is below. Public schools: the Elkton School District 05-3.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolland Colony Elementary - 05Largest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 9 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Alton Township stands out in South Dakota and nationally: a smaller share of its working residents work locally
In Alton Township, the typical journey to work is 18 minutes, where South Dakota’s towns sit at 17 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Only 3 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Alton Township. For half of commuters, work is under 10 miles away. The top destinations are Brookings (61%), Sioux Falls (9%) and Mitchell (4%).
| Alton Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.7% | 29% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The climate in Alton Township brings four seasons and pleasant summers
Alton Township’s midsummer high stands at 82°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
A larger share of adults in Alton Township have obesity than in the typical South Dakota or U.S. town
Among adults locally, 31% have high blood pressure. In Alton Township, 30% of adults sleep under 7 hours, near the South Dakota town median (30%) and below the median of U.S. towns (36%).
| Alton Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 19% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | – | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 36% |
| What stands out | Alton Township | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.6% | 12.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 3.1% | 3.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards: moderate risk in Alton Township, mostly inland flooding
Of the losses FEMA expects in Alton Township, 43% come from inland flooding and 23% from tornadoes. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage locally than in 60% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Open space protected for good: 0.7% of Alton Township
Alton Township’s trail network density comes in at 0.1 miles per square mile.
| Alton Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.7% | 3.3% | 4.3% |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Alton Township
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Alton Township
About 3 of every 100 Alton Township residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
99% of working residents leave Alton Township for work
Where Alton Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Alton Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Alton Township, SD a good place to live?
Alton Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.