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Compare towns

Arlington vs Salem

46 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (+58% in Salem) and property tax bill (+19% in Salem).

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Arlington, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 920 people
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Salem, SDOne of the healthiest townsSouth Dakota · 1,216 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.

ArlingtonKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 99%of SD districts HistorySettled in 18804 places on the National Register All about Arlington →
SalemOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 73%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 31%of SD districts Housing$254K typical home21% below the SD typical home All about Salem →
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.

Street grid+58%
Salem has the more walkable street grid
Salem 91.2Arlington 57.9
Property tax bill+19%
Tax bills are bigger in Salem
Salem $1,875Arlington $1,577
Average commute5 min
Salem has the shorter commute
Arlington 28 minSalem 23 min
★ 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
A+ArlingtonBetter than 99% of districts in the state CSalemBetter than 31% of districts in the state
Health
–ArlingtonNot graded B+SalemHealthier than 73% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $440 more a month in Arlington

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.

Arlington$2,010/mo
Typical home $327K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.09% · or rent about $810/mo · Housing →
Salem$1,570/mo
Typical home $254K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.12% · or rent about $965/mo · Housing →

The difference: $440 a month, about $5,300 a year, between Arlington and Salem.

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
ArlingtonSalem
Snow a year36″31″
January low4°F—
July high81°F—
Growing season (days)145d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)30th52nd
Outdoors & history
ArlingtonSalem
Settled1880—
National Register places44
Community
ArlingtonSalem
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

46 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ArlingtonSDSalemSD
Arlington ↔ Salem46 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.

ArlingtonSalem
People
Population 920Lowest 1,216Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census 0%Highest SD: +8.9% -1.6%Lowest SD: +8.9%
Median age 40.1±6Highest 6% above SD 39.6±6.8Lowest 4% above SD
Arlington and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.8%±4.4Lowest SD: 24.2% 27.6%±4.1Highest SD: 24.2%
Salem and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.5%±5Lowest SD: 18% 23.1%±4Highest SD: 18%
Salem and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21.1%Lowest SD: 31.9% 26.6%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.3%±1.2Lowest SD: 5% 1.4%±0.9Highest SD: 5%
Salem and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $71,296±$10kLowest 5% below SD $74,881±$24kHighest about the SD average
Salem and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $144,300±$16kLowest 44% below SD $166,700±$14kHighest 35% below SD
Salem and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $810±$174Lowest 14% below SD $965±$101Highest about the SD average
Salem and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,577Lowest 42% below SD $1,875Highest 31% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.5%±15.5Highest SD: 39.8% 42.9%±17.5Lowest SD: 39.8%
Arlington and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 19.2%Highest SD: 11.9% 5.6%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 70.2%Highest SD: 68.6% 68%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than SD 1974Highest 6 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 56% above SD 23 minLowest 29% above SD
Work from home 3.3%±3.7Lowest SD: 9.7% 7%±3.9Highest SD: 9.7%
Salem and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.9%Lowest 16.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miLowest 31.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.69Lowest 0.71Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Brookings (21%)Sioux Falls (29%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SalemFew work in Arlington
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 57.9Lowest 91.2Highest
Schools
School district Arlington School District 38-1McCook Central School District 43-7
High school in town Arlington High School - 01McCook Central High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 7.7Lowest 12.6Highest
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.

Arlington neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Arlington’s Town Square.

Salem neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Salem’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Arlington and Salem

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Arlington

D
+ Compare
Denver Township147 people · $413K homes
B
+ Compare
Bangor Township224 people · $226K homes

Towns like Arlington

A
+ Compare
Alcester989 people · $126K homes
B
+ Compare
Burke708 people · $150K homes
+ Compare
Colton736 people · $193K homes
P
+ Compare
Platte1,161 people · $179K homes

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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