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Brandon vs Harrisburg

13 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+38.8 pts in Harrisburg) and rent (+40% in Harrisburg).

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Brandon, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 10,996 people
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Harrisburg, SDHomes around $363KSouth Dakota · 8,519 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 differ most

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

Brandon places higher on 9 of 20 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 $200 more a month in Brandon

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.

Brandon$2,450/mo
Typical home $395K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.15% · or rent about $976/mo · Housing →
Harrisburg$2,250/mo
Typical home $363K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.16% · or rent about $1,362/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,400 a year, between Brandon and Harrisburg.

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
BrandonHarrisburg
Snow a year49″49″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)55th48th
Outdoors & history
BrandonHarrisburg
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land3.4%0.2%
Archive photos5—
Famous people born here3—
Community
BrandonHarrisburg
Library hours a week56 hrs46 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

13 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

BrandonHarrisburgBrandonHarrisburg
Brandon ↔ Harrisburg13 miles apart
Who commutes between them
49 Harrisburg residents work in Brandon (1.2% of its workers)
Work & commute in Harrisburg →
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.

BrandonHarrisburg
People
Population 10,996Highest 8,519Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +25.8%Lowest SD: +8.9% +64.6%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 36.7±2.2Highest 3% below SD 31.1±1.7Lowest 18% below SD
Kids under 18 32.4%±3.7Lowest SD: 24.2% 34.2%±5.5Highest SD: 24.2%
Harrisburg and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.8%±2.7Highest SD: 18% 3.7%±2Lowest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 41.9%Lowest SD: 31.9% 43.8%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.6%±0.7Lowest SD: 5% 1.8%±1.2Highest SD: 5%
Harrisburg and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $110,806±$10kHighest 48% above SD $108,724±$12kLowest 45% above SD
Brandon and Harrisburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $336,600±$19kHighest 31% above SD $312,200±$27kLowest 21% above SD
Brandon and Harrisburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $976±$73Lowest 3% above SD $1,362±$67Highest 44% above SD
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,886Highest 43% above SD $3,637Lowest 34% above SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 35%±11Lowest SD: 39.8% 36.5%±22Highest SD: 39.8%
Harrisburg and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 1.4%Highest SD: 11.9% 0.5%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 80.1%Highest SD: 68.6% 78.4%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2001Lowest 21 yrs newer than SD 2008Highest 28 yrs newer than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 3% above SD 22 minHighest 23% above SD
Work from home 18.8%±4.8Highest SD: 9.7% 12.2%±3.7Lowest SD: 9.7%
Brandon and Harrisburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 17.1%Highest 10.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.8 miHighest 7.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.61Highest 0.55Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (60%)Sioux Falls (67%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Harrisburg1% work in Brandon
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.4%Highest 0.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 59.0Highest 56.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #1 of 34 in SD#17 of 34 in SD
School district Brandon Valley School District 49-2Harrisburg School District 41-2
High school in town Brandon Valley High School - 01Harrisburg High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 20.5Highest 14.3Lowest
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.

Brandon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brandon’s Town Square.

Harrisburg neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Harrisburg’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Brandon

Towns like Brandon

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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