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Compare towns

Alcester vs Big Stone City

158 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+44% in Alcester).

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Alcester, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 989 people
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Big Stone City, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 706 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

AlcesterKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 31%of SD districts All about Alcester →
Big Stone CityKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 98%of SD districts Housing$251K typical home22% below the SD typical home All about Big Stone City →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill+44%
Tax bills are bigger in Alcester
Alcester $1,726Big Stone City $1,195
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every South Dakota ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
CAlcesterBetter than 31% of districts in the state A+Big Stone CityBetter than 98% of districts in the state
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $450 more a month in Alcester

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Alcester$1,930/mo
Typical home $302K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.37% · or rent about $688/mo · Housing →
Big Stone City$1,480/mo
Typical home $251K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $776/mo · Housing →

The difference: $450 a month, about $5,400 a year, between Alcester and Big Stone City.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
AlcesterBig Stone City
Snow a year31″32″
January low7°F—
July high85°F—
Growing season (days)155d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)41st50th
Outdoors & history
AlcesterBig Stone City
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0.5%
Settled—1885
National Register places12
Archive photos—3
Community
AlcesterBig Stone City
Library hours a week40 hrs10 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

158 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AlcesterSDBig Stone CitySD
Alcester ↔ Big Stone City158 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

AlcesterBig Stone City
People
Population 989Highest 706Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.6% SD: +8.9% —
Median age 44.4±14.9Lowest 17% above SD 46±13.3Highest 21% above SD
Big Stone City and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.8%±9.5Highest SD: 24.2% 19%±7.7Lowest SD: 24.2%
Alcester and Big Stone City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 31.9%±6Highest SD: 18% 27.6%±10.8Lowest SD: 18%
Alcester and Big Stone City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.3%Highest SD: 31.9% 15%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±1.1Lowest SD: 5% 3.4%±3.4Highest SD: 5%
Big Stone City and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $57,000±$6kLowest 24% below SD $63,333±$20kHighest 16% below SD
Big Stone City and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $125,800±$41kLowest 51% below SD $151,200±$64kHighest 41% below SD
Big Stone City and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $688±$75Lowest 27% below SD $776±$27Highest 18% below SD
Big Stone City and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,726Highest 37% below SD $1,195Lowest 56% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 14.4%±9.8Lowest SD: 39.8% 44.6%±36.2Highest SD: 39.8%
Big Stone City and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.4%Lowest SD: 11.9% 24.9%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69.3%Lowest SD: 68.6% 69.8%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1970Highest 10 yrs older than SD 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 15 minHighest 16% below SD 13 minLowest 29% below SD
Work from home 4.7%±4.3Highest SD: 9.7% 2%±2.8Lowest SD: 9.7%
Alcester and Big Stone City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 9%Highest 4.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 33.3 miHighest 10.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.10Highest 0.86Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (26%)Milbank (49%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Big Stone CityFew work in Alcester
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 55.6Highest 52.9Lowest
Schools
School district Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1Big Stone City School District 25-1
High school in town Alcester-Hudson High School - 01None in town
Students per teacherat that high school 11.4 —
South Dakota average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Alcester neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alcester’s Town Square.

Big Stone City neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Big Stone City’s Town Square.

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks South Dakota towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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