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Compare towns

Chamberlain vs Milbank

165 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3× in Milbank) and home values (+45% in Chamberlain).

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Chamberlain, SDAn outdoors townSouth Dakota · 2,588 people
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Milbank, SDHomes around $237KSouth Dakota · 3,525 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.

ChamberlainAn outdoors town
Outdoors#1 most conserved land in SD1.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves Health56% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$263K typical home18% below the SD typical home All about Chamberlain →
MilbankHomes around $237K
Housing$237K typical home26% below the SD typical home Schools#13 for schools in SDof 34 towns Outdoors#5 most walkable in SD2.0 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves All about Milbank →
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.

Street grid3×
Milbank has the more walkable street grid
Milbank 81.3Chamberlain 27.3
Home values+45%
Homes cost more in Chamberlain
Chamberlain $224,300Milbank $155,000
Property tax bill+53%
Tax bills are bigger in Chamberlain
Chamberlain $2,498Milbank $1,630
Conserved land+19.2 pts
Chamberlain has more conserved land
Chamberlain 22.4%Milbank 3.2%
Work in town+13.3 pts
More of Milbank’s workers stay in town
Milbank 51.3%Chamberlain 38%
Average commute5 min
Milbank has the shorter commute
Chamberlain 14 minMilbank 9 min
★ What stands out · Report cards

Milbank places higher on 15 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.

Schools
CChamberlainBetter than 30% of districts in the state B+MilbankBetter than 67% of districts in the state
Health
C+ChamberlainHealthier than 44% of U.S. towns BMilbankHealthier than 61% of U.S. towns
3Chamberlain
15Milbank

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

Highest graduation rateSchools · 33 towns #31#4 Most walkableOutdoors · 37 towns #32#5 Most conserved landOutdoors · 33 towns #1#18 Highest incomeIncome · 37 towns #14#33 Most remote workersWork · 37 towns #27#9 Most trailsOutdoors · 27 towns #25#13 Shortest commuteGetting around · 37 towns #15#1 Lowest property taxCost of living · 37 towns #13#2

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $170 more a month in Chamberlain

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.

Chamberlain$1,620/mo
Typical home $263K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $818/mo · Housing →
Milbank$1,450/mo
Typical home $237K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.05% · or rent about $548/mo · Housing →

The difference: $170 a month, about $2,000 a year, between Chamberlain and Milbank.

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
ChamberlainMilbank
Snow a year43″32″
January low9°F—
July high87°F—
Growing season (days)156d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th50th
Outdoors & history
ChamberlainMilbank
Trails1 mi2 mi
Conserved land22.4%3.2%
Settled18811880
National Register places26
Archive photos1212
Famous people born here75
Community
ChamberlainMilbank
Library hours a week42 hrs45 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

165 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ChamberlainSDMilbankSD
Chamberlain ↔ Milbank165 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.

ChamberlainMilbank
People
Population 2,588Lowest 3,525Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.6%Lowest SD: +8.9% +5.7%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 43±7.3Lowest 13% above SD 50±7.6Highest 32% above SD
Milbank and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.1%±3.9Highest SD: 24.2% 20.1%±3.9Lowest SD: 24.2%
Chamberlain and Milbank are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.7%±3.4Lowest SD: 18% 29.4%±6.1Highest SD: 18%
Milbank and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 33.3%Highest SD: 31.9% 31.2%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.2%±0.8Highest SD: 5% 0.8%±1Lowest SD: 5%
Chamberlain and Milbank are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $76,761±$8kHighest about the SD average $56,011±$13kLowest 25% below SD
Chamberlain and Milbank are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $224,300±$24kHighest 13% below SD $155,000±$21kLowest 40% below SD
Rentmedian gross, monthly $818±$270Highest 14% below SD $548±$364Lowest 42% below SD
Chamberlain and Milbank are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,498Highest 8% below SD $1,630Lowest 40% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.7%±12.5Highest SD: 39.8% 29.7%±21Lowest SD: 39.8%
Chamberlain and Milbank are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.1%Lowest SD: 11.9% 13.2%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68.2%Lowest SD: 68.6% 69.8%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than SD 1972Highest 8 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 14 minHighest 22% below SD 9 minLowest 49% below SD
Work from home 4.6%±3.2Lowest SD: 9.7% 10.3%±6.2Highest SD: 9.7%
Milbank and Chamberlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 38%Lowest 51.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miHighest 1.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.14Lowest 1.44Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (9%)Sioux Falls (5%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MilbankFew work in Chamberlain
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 22.4%Highest 3.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miLowest 2.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Lowest 7Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 27.3Lowest 81.3Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #18 of 34 in SD#13 of 34 in SD
School district Chamberlain School District 07-1Milbank School District 25-4
High school in town Chamberlain High School - 01Milbank High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 10.6Lowest 12.2Highest
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.

Chamberlain neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Chamberlain’s Town Square.

Milbank neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Milbank’s Town Square.

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Bordering Chamberlain

C
+ Compare
Chamberlain Township307 people · $287K homes
+ Compare
Oacoma548 people · $172K homes

Towns like Chamberlain

+ Compare
Mobridge2,932 people · $137K homes
H
+ Compare
Hartford3,478 people · $258K homes
M
+ Compare
Miller1,363 people · $155K homes
P
+ Compare
Parkston1,874 people · $157K 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.

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