Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,337, settled in 1881. Public schools that outperform most of South Dakota.
The best of Groton’s subject grades are an A+ for schools and an A− for health. Among 36 South Dakota towns, just 1 have a lower January low than Groton. Groton has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Trinity Episcopal Church and McKenzie-Cassels House. Groton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Groton beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Groton Area Elementary - 02 | PK–5 | 278 |
| Groton Area Middle School - 04 | 6–8 | 132 |
| Groton Area High School - 01 | 9–12 | 168 |
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Dakota), ordered by how far Groton is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 684 in 1890, 1,380 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1898 and 4 maps from 1895 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Groton, 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.
Ordered by what stands out in Groton.
Its public schools are run by the Groton Area School District 06-6. Its three schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groton Area Elementary - 02Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 278 | B+ |
| Groton Area High School - 01Largest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 168 | B+ |
| Groton Area Middle School - 04Top results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 132 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state tests and graduation
Groton beats the South Dakota average on 4 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 28% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Groton, below both South Dakota’s towns (30%) and U.S. towns (36%). 14% of adults report frequent mental distress in Groton.
| Groton | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 22% | 23% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 79% | 76% | 79% |
| What stands out | Groton | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More women getting mammograms | 83.3% | 76.6% |
| More adults seeing a dentist | 74.4% | 69.2% |
| More adults with arthritis | 29.8% | 25.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Most working residents leave Groton for work: only 12% work in town. At 17 minutes, Groton’s average trip to work is near the South Dakota town median (17 minutes) and below the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). 4.3% of Groton residents live below the poverty line.
| Groton | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 29% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.3% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 6.6% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Groton home is worth about $250,000, about the same as a year ago, 21% below the South Dakota typical home.
| Groton | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 73% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $981 a month | $962 a month | $1,185 a month |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Groton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. Groton’s July high is 83°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Children under 18 are 31% of residents (24% statewide); people 65 and older are 13% of residents (18% statewide). The median age in Groton is 33.9 years. Only 3 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of children under 18 than Groton.
| Groton | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 31% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 33.9 years | 39.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 13% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 36% | 33% | 29% |
48% women, 52% men
About 107 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.6 points). Across South Dakota, 49.2% of residents are women.
| Groton | SD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 17.6% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.7% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 18% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.3% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.7% | 10.7% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.8% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.6% | 11% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.4% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.4% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 26% | 29% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.3% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.8% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.3% | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.2% | 10% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,300, single groups can be off by several points
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities. Since 1997, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Groton.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Groton City Park | — | 4 |
| 2. Groton Pool Tennis & Basketball | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Groton; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Groton residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
Where Groton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 places in Groton on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in South Dakota, United States
Groton is a city in southeastern Brown County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,380 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Public schools that outperform most of South Dakota.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
