Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Canton vs Belle Fourche

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

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

Canton$1,920/mo
Typical home $305K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.27% · or rent about $673/mo · Housing →
Belle Fourche$2,070/mo
Typical home $340K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.02% · or rent about $983/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
CantonBelle Fourche
Snow a year36″42″
January low6°F13°F
July high83°F87°F
Growing season (days)151d143d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)71st70th
Outdoors & history
CantonBelle Fourche
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land1.3%1.8%
National Register places1316
Archive photos—6
Famous people born here—10
Community
CantonBelle Fourche
Library hours a week45 hrs40 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.

Canton ↔ Belle Fourche373 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.

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

Canton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Canton’s Town Square.

Belle Fourche neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Belle Fourche’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Canton and Belle Fourche

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

Bordering Canton

Towns like Canton

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.

Post to Canton

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in