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Bowdle vs Faulkton

39 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+18.6 pts in Faulkton) and work from home (+9.1 pts in Bowdle).

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Bowdle, SDA history townSouth Dakota · 475 people
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Faulkton, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 670 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.

BowdleA history town
HistorySettled in 18861 place on the National Register All about Bowdle →
FaulktonKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 92%of SD districts History6 historic places6 places on the National Register All about Faulkton →
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.

Growth since 2010+18.6 pts
Faulkton has grown faster since 2010
Faulkton +12.2%Bowdle -6.4%
Work from home+9.1 pts
More people work from home in Bowdle
Bowdle 10.9%Faulkton 1.8%
Work in town+13.8 pts
More of Faulkton’s workers stay in town
Faulkton 27.7%Bowdle 13.9%
Average commute7 min
Bowdle has the shorter commute
Faulkton 16 minBowdle 9 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
B−BowdleBetter than 53% of districts in the state AFaulktonBetter than 92% of districts in the state
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.

Bowdle$690/mo
Typical home $113K (Census) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $783/mo · Housing →
Faulkton$620/mo
Typical home $100K (Census) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $902/mo · Housing →

The difference: $80 a month, about $900 a year, between Bowdle and Faulkton.

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
BowdleFaulkton
Snow a year47″44″
January low3°F4°F
July high83°F85°F
Growing season (days)148d139d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)25th37th
Outdoors & history
BowdleFaulkton
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0.5%
Settled1886—
National Register places16
Archive photos12—
Famous people born here2—
Community
BowdleFaulkton
Library hours a week30 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

39 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BowdleSDFaulktonSD
Bowdle ↔ Faulkton39 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.

BowdleFaulkton
People
Population 475Lowest 670Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -6.4%Lowest SD: +8.9% +12.2%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 39.1±4.1Highest about the SD average 37.5±8.6Lowest about the SD average
Bowdle and Faulkton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.6%±7.2 SD: 24.2% 24.6%±6.4 SD: 24.2%
Age 65+ 27.2%±4.4Highest SD: 18% 26.1%±6.3Lowest SD: 18%
Bowdle and Faulkton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26%Highest SD: 31.9% 22.3%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.7%±2.6Lowest SD: 5% 3%±2.3Highest SD: 5%
Faulkton and Bowdle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $63,750±$29k 15% below SD $63,750±$27k 15% below SD
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $112,500±$57kHighest 56% below SD $99,600±$25kLowest 61% below SD
Bowdle and Faulkton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $783±$249Lowest 17% below SD $902±$231Highest 5% below SD
Faulkton and Bowdle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,250Highest 54% below SD $1,128Lowest 59% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 26.6%±24.4Lowest SD: 39.8% 39%±69.4Highest SD: 39.8%
Faulkton and Bowdle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.4%Lowest SD: 11.9% 13.4%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 59.6%Highest SD: 68.6% 57.5%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than SD 1967Highest 13 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 9 minLowest 47% below SD 16 minHighest 10% below SD
Work from home 10.9%±3.9Highest SD: 9.7% 1.8%±2.5Lowest SD: 9.7%
Work in townworking residents 13.9%Lowest 27.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 32.8 mi 32.8 mi
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.31Highest 1.25Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Roscoe (15%)Aberdeen (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FaulktonFew work in Bowdle
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.9%Highest 0.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 83.7Lowest 90.5Highest
Schools
School district Bowdle School District 22-1Faulkton Area Schools 24-4
High school in town Bowdle High School - 01Faulkton High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 5.0Lowest 9.4Highest
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.

Bowdle neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bowdle’s Town Square.

Faulkton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Faulkton’s Town Square.

Add a town

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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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