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Canton vs Lead

365 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (3.1× in Lead) and property tax bill (+31% in Canton).

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Canton, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 3,033 people

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Lead, SDAn outdoors townSouth Dakota · 3,006 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.

CantonKnown for its schools

Schools#6 for schools in SDof 34 towns Housing$305K typical home5% below the SD typical home HealthHealthier than 60%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Canton →

LeadAn outdoors town

Outdoors#3 most trails in SD3.7 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves Housing$388K typical home20% above the SD typical home HealthHealthier than 59%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Lead →

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.

Lead has more miles of trail

Lead 3.7 miCanton 1.2 mi

Property tax bill+31%

Tax bills are bigger in Canton

Canton $2,434Lead $1,864

Typical home built22 yrs

Lead’s homes are older

Canton 1960Lead 1938

Street grid+63%

Lead has the more walkable street grid

Lead 99.5Canton 61.0

Growth since 2010+4.8 pts

Canton has grown faster since 2010

Canton +0.3%Lead -4.5%

Seasonal homes+9.4 pts

Lead has more second homes

Lead 9.4%Canton 0%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $430 more a month in Lead

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.

Down paymentRate%

Canton$1,920/mo

Typical home $305K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.27% · or rent about $673/mo · Housing →

Lead$2,350/mo

Typical home $388K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.98% · or rent about $835/mo · Housing →

The difference: $430 a month, about $5,100 a year, between Lead 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.

Report cards

Canton places higher on 12 of 21 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.

Safety

–CantonNot graded B+LeadSafer than 73% of U.S. towns

Schools

A−CantonBetter than 79% of districts in the state C+LeadBetter than 39% of districts in the state

Health

BCantonHealthier than 60% of U.S. towns BLeadHealthier than 59% of U.S. towns

12Canton

8Lead

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most trailsOutdoors · 27 towns #24#3 Best schoolsSchools · 34 towns #6#31 Most remote workersWork · 37 towns #11#35 Highest graduation rateSchools · 33 towns #4#22 Highest incomeIncome · 37 towns #31#16 Lowest obesityHealth · 37 towns #31#16 Most walkableOutdoors · 37 towns #16#3 Lowest depressionHealth · 37 towns #8#18

Left end = #1 in South Dakota. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Canton’s rankings →

Life in each

Lead gets 148 more inches of snow a year

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

CantonLead

Snow a year36″184″

January low6°F 18°F

July high83°F 82°F

Growing season (days)151d 133d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)71st 54th

Outdoors & history

CantonLead

Trails1 mi 4 mi

Conserved land1.3%0.8%

Settled—1876

National Register places13 2

Archive photos—12

Famous people born here—9

Community

CantonLead

Library hours a week45 hrs 40 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

365 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CantonSD LeadSD

Canton ↔ Lead365 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.

Only big differences vs South Dakota average

CantonLead

People

Population 3,033Highest 3,006Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.3%Highest SD: +8.9% -4.5%Lowest SD: +8.9%

Median age 42.2±11.9Lowest 11% above SD 46.5±13.1Highest 22% above SD

Lead and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 22.9%±6.2Highest SD: 24.2% 14.7%±5.1Lowest SD: 24.2%

Canton and Lead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 25.9%±6.2Lowest SD: 18% 27.2%±7.3Highest SD: 18%

Lead and Canton 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% 20.5%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1%±1.2Lowest SD: 5% 1.8%±1.8Highest SD: 5%

Lead and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $60,850±$10kLowest 19% below SD $73,047±$33kHighest about the SD average

Lead 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±$11kHighest 26% below SD $189,400±$19kLowest 26% below SD

Canton and Lead 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 $835±$81Highest 12% below SD

Lead and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,434Highest 11% below SD $1,864Lowest 32% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 35.9%±17Highest SD: 39.8% 30.9%±15.1Lowest SD: 39.8%

Canton and Lead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 8.1%Highest SD: 11.9% 7.5%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 68.1%Lowest SD: 68.6% 70.3%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1960Highest 20 yrs older than SD 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 12% above SD 20 minHighest 13% above SD

Work from home 9.3%±8.2Highest SD: 9.7% 2%±2Lowest SD: 9.7%

Canton and Lead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 19.1%Highest 18%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miHighest 3.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.72Highest 0.62Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (43%)Deadwood (38%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in LeadFew work in Canton

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.3%Highest 0.8%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 1.2 miLowest 3.7 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miLowest 1.9 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 61.0Lowest 99.5Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #6 of 34 in SD #31 of 34 in SD

School district Canton School District 41-1Lead-Deadwood School District 40-1

High school in town Canton High School - 01Lead-Deadwood High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school 14.9Highest 10.7Lowest

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.

Lead neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lead’s Town Square.

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Bordering Canton

Canton Township514 people · $509K homes

Towns like Canton

Webster1,896 people · $154K homes

Winner2,905 people · $106K homes

Belle Fourche5,804 people · $223K homes

Springfield2,038 people · $119K 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.