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%

Carthage$460/mo

Typical home $81K (Census) · tax rate 0.53% · Housing →

Brandt$510/mo

Typical home $80K (Census) · tax rate 1.41% · or rent about $729/mo · Housing →

The difference: $50 a month, about $600 a year, between Brandt and Carthage.

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

CarthageBrandt

Snow a year36″61″

January low5°F 2°F

July high87°F 80°F

Growing season (days)149d 146d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)29th 36th

Outdoors & history

CarthageBrandt

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land23.2%—

Settled1883 1880

National Register places1 —

Archive photos2 —

Famous people born here2 —

Community

CarthageBrandt

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

64 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CarthageSD BrandtSD

Carthage ↔ Brandt64 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

CarthageBrandt

People

Population 78Lowest 82Highest

Median age 53.2±12.8Highest 40% above SD 51.3±18.3Lowest 35% above SD

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

Kids under 18 6.4%±32.2Lowest SD: 24.2% 9.8%±22.3Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 34.6%±26.1Highest SD: 18% 14.6%±28.4Lowest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.9%Highest SD: 31.9% 9%Lowest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.3%±13.1Lowest SD: 5% 3.7%±13.6Highest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $46,875±$32kLowest 38% below SD $60,625±$40kHighest 19% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $81,300±$29kHighest 68% below SD $80,000±$53kLowest 69% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly — $729±$10 23% below SD

Property taxmedian, yearly $431Lowest 84% below SD $1,125Highest 59% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 10%±100Lowest SD: 39.8% 71.4%±100Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 9%Lowest SD: 11.9% 12.2%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 81.8%Highest SD: 68.6% 76.9%Lowest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1953Highest 27 yrs older than SD 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 59% above SD 58 minHighest 227% above SD

Work from home 0%±20Lowest SD: 9.7% 6.8%±6.1Highest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 6.4%Highest 0%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 27.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.77Highest 0.25Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Howard (36%)Watertown (18%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BrandtFew work in Carthage

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 23.2%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 31.6Highest 15.9Lowest

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.

Carthage neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Carthage’s Town Square.

Brandt neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brandt’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Carthage and Brandt

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

Bordering Carthage

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Carthage Township28 people

Towns like Carthage

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Utica68 people · $53K homes

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Spring Valley Township56 people

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Java78 people · $54K homes

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Mellette Township67 people

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.

Carthage vs Brandt

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

64 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Carthage and Brandt

Bordering Carthage

Towns like Carthage

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