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Compare towns

Belle Fourche vs Canton

373 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+46% in Belle Fourche) and street grid (2× in Canton).

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Belle Fourche, SDA history townSouth Dakota · 5,804 people
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Canton, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 3,033 people
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.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

★ What stands out · Report cards

Canton places higher on 15 of 23 SD lists

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.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Belle Fourche$2,070/mo
Typical home $340K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.02% · or rent about $983/mo · Housing →
Canton$1,920/mo
Typical home $305K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.27% · or rent about $673/mo · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,800 a year, between Belle Fourche and Canton.

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
Belle FourcheCanton
Snow a year42″36″
January low13°F6°F
July high87°F83°F
Growing season (days)143d151d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)70th71st
Outdoors & history
Belle FourcheCanton
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land1.8%1.3%
National Register places1613
Archive photos6—
Famous people born here10—
Community
Belle FourcheCanton
Library hours a week40 hrs45 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

373 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Belle Fourche ↔ Canton373 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.

Belle FourcheCanton
People
Population 5,804Highest 3,033Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.4%Highest SD: +8.9% +0.3%Lowest SD: +8.9%
Median age 38.3±3.8Lowest about the SD average 42.2±11.9Highest 11% above SD
Canton and Belle Fourche are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.1%±3.4Highest SD: 24.2% 22.9%±6.2Lowest SD: 24.2%
Belle Fourche and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.2%±3.7Lowest SD: 18% 25.9%±6.2Highest SD: 18%
Canton and Belle Fourche are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.1%Highest SD: 31.9% 16.9%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±2.2Highest SD: 5% 1%±1.2Lowest SD: 5%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,071±$22kHighest 13% below SD $60,850±$10kLowest 19% below SD
Belle Fourche and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $222,500±$32kHighest 14% below SD $191,400±$11kLowest 26% below SD
Belle Fourche and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $983±$94Highest 4% above SD $673±$109Lowest 29% below SD
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,266Lowest 17% below SD $2,434Highest 11% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47%±16.4Highest SD: 39.8% 35.9%±17Lowest SD: 39.8%
Belle Fourche and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.6%Highest SD: 11.9% 8.1%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 65.5%Lowest SD: 68.6% 68.1%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Highest 2 yrs older than SD 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 45% above SD 20 minLowest 12% above SD
Work from home 4.3%±2.4Lowest SD: 9.7% 9.3%±8.2Highest SD: 9.7%
Canton and Belle Fourche are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 29.3%Highest 19.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 16.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.70Lowest 0.72Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Spearfish (20%)Sioux Falls (43%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CantonFew work in Belle Fourche
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.8%Highest 1.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miLowest 1.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Lowest 6Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 30.6Lowest 61.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #27 of 34 in SD#6 of 34 in SD
School district Belle Fourche School District 09-1Canton School District 41-1
High school in town Belle Fourche High School - 01Canton High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 14.6Lowest 14.9Highest
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.

Belle Fourche neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Belle Fourche’s Town Square.

Canton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Canton’s Town Square.

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Towns like Belle Fourche

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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