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South Dakota›Brookings County

Aurora TownshipSD

A town of 309, platted in 1880.

Is Aurora Township a good place to live?

Aurora Township’s average trip to work is 14 minutes, against 17 minutes in South Dakota’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Among 36 South Dakota towns, just 2 have a lower July high than Aurora Township. Aurora Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

309 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
BrookingsAuroraTrenton TownshipAfton TownshipBushnellAlton TownshipBrookings TownshipBrookingsAuroraTrenton TownshipAfton TownshipBushnellAlton TownshipBrookings TownshipAurora Township
Aurora Ballpark (c. 2008)
Aurora Ballpark (c. 2008), 2008
Aurora Township’s story

146 years in pictures

Census counts: 236 in 1910, a low of 166 in 1930, 1,047 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1964 on.

  • 1880Aurora Township is platted
Explore the history →
Getting set up

Moving to Aurora Township: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Aurora Township, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerSioux Valley SW Elec Coop13.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBrookings-Deuel Rural Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offBrookings Dumpster Service, 5 miOpenStreetMap
SchoolsBrookings School District 05-1Which school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteIn personSouth Dakota has no online registration; you can register in person until 15 days before Election Day or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereBrookings County AuditorBrookings County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP codes57006, 57002, 5727657006 52% · 57002 47% · 57276 2%Census 2020

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 Aurora Township.

Work & commute

More than half of Aurora Township’s working residents commute to Brookings

Most working residents leave Aurora Township for work: only 0% work in town. The top destinations are Brookings (54%), Sioux Falls (13%) and Volga (2%). Half commute less than 6 miles.

0%work in town

Where working residents work

In Aurora Township0%
Brookings54%
Sioux Falls13%
Volga2%
Elkton2%
6 mi
median commute distance
64
jobs based in Aurora Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Four seasons and pleasant summers in Aurora Township

Aurora Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 5°F, Aurora Township’s January low is below both South Dakota’s towns (9°F) and U.S. towns (22°F).

36″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter8–26°
Spring32–54°
Summer58–80°
Fall35–57°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

Aurora Township stands out in South Dakota and nationally: a larger share of its adults have obesity

39% of Aurora Township adults have obesity. Only 3 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Aurora Township. 27% of Aurora Township adults have high blood pressure.

Aurora TownshipSouth Dakota townsU.S. towns
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)22%19%16%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)27%31%35%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)74%76%79%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)11%12%14%
26 measures vs. South Dakota
12 better13 too close to call1 worse
What stands outAurora TownshipSD
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth8.5%12.7%
Fewer adults with heart disease5.2%6.8%
Fewer adults treating high blood pressure72.5%75.9%
Brookings Health System
3.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazards

Aurora Township faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 60% of U.S. communities.

40risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
40Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Outdoors

Conserved land covers 0.9% of Aurora Township

3.6 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves. Among 33 South Dakota towns, just 3 have a lower trail density than Aurora Township.

0.9%conserved
Aurora TownshipSouth Dakota townsU.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile0.1 miles per square mile0.60.4
Conserved land0.9%3.3%4.3%
0.9%
conserved · 176 of 20,677 acres
3.6 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Aurora Township

17pages on Aurora Township
After high school

Colleges nearby

2 within 15 miles of the center of Aurora Township

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave Aurora Township for work

Where Aurora Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

54% → Brookings Brookings 54% 13% → Sioux Falls Sioux Falls 13% 2% → Volga Volga 2% 2% → Elkton Elkton 2% 2% → Madison Madison 2% 2% → Parnell Township Parnell Township 2% Aurora Township · 0% stay
64jobs based in Aurora Township
0%of working residents work in town
6 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Aurora Township

Town in South Dakota, United States

Official town website ↗

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

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
0.5 sq mi
Elevation
1,624 ft
ZIP code
57002
Area code
605

Questions about Aurora Township

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Aurora Township, SD a good place to live?

Aurora Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.