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Compare towns

Corsica vs Alcester

94 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+27% in Alcester) and growth since 2010 (+6.8 pts in Alcester).

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Corsica, SDA regional job hubSouth Dakota · 699 people
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Alcester, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 989 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.

CorsicaA regional job hub
Work348 jobsbased in Corsica, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 92%of SD districts All about Corsica →
AlcesterKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 31%of SD districts All about Alcester →
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.

Property tax bill+27%
Tax bills are bigger in Alcester
Alcester $1,726Corsica $1,359
Growth since 2010+6.8 pts
Alcester has grown faster since 2010
Alcester +1.6%Corsica -5.2%
Street grid+42%
Corsica has the more walkable street grid
Corsica 79.1Alcester 55.6
Work in town+8.3 pts
More of Corsica’s workers stay in town
Corsica 17.3%Alcester 9%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $970 more a month in Alcester

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.

Corsica$970/mo
Typical home $163K (Census) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $805/mo · Housing →
Alcester$1,930/mo
Typical home $302K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.37% · or rent about $688/mo · Housing →

The difference: $970 a month, about $11,600 a year, between Alcester and Corsica.

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

Grades and rankings, side by side

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
ACorsicaBetter than 92% of districts in the state CAlcesterBetter than 31% of districts in the state
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
CorsicaAlcester
Snow a year34″31″
January low10°F7°F
July high88°F85°F
Growing season (days)157d155d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)35th41st
Outdoors & history
CorsicaAlcester
National Register places—1
Community
CorsicaAlcester
Library hours a week—40 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

94 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CorsicaSDAlcesterSD
Corsica ↔ Alcester94 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.

CorsicaAlcester
People
Population 699Lowest 989Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.2%Lowest SD: +8.9% +1.6%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 44.3±10.8Lowest 17% above SD 44.4±14.9Highest 17% above SD
Alcester and Corsica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.5%±3.9Lowest SD: 24.2% 27.8%±9.5Highest SD: 24.2%
Alcester and Corsica 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% 31.9%±6Highest SD: 18%
Alcester and Corsica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 27.7%Highest SD: 31.9% 20.3%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.4%±1.6Lowest SD: 5% 1.8%±1.1Highest SD: 5%
Alcester and Corsica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $59,250±$29kHighest 21% below SD $57,000±$6kLowest 24% below SD
Corsica and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $162,500±$15kHighest 37% below SD $125,800±$41kLowest 51% below SD
Corsica and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $805±$535Highest 15% below SD $688±$75Lowest 27% below SD
Corsica and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,359Lowest 50% below SD $1,726Highest 37% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 70.8%±34.7Highest SD: 39.8% 14.4%±9.8Lowest SD: 39.8%
Below poverty line 8.2%Lowest SD: 11.9% 12.4%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 65.2%Lowest SD: 68.6% 69.3%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1972Highest 8 yrs older than SD 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minHighest 6% below SD 15 minLowest 16% below SD
Work from home 1.7%±2.5Lowest SD: 9.7% 4.7%±4.3Highest SD: 9.7%
Alcester and Corsica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 17.3%Highest 9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miLowest 33.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.51Highest 1.10Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Armour (12%)Sioux Falls (26%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AlcesterFew work in Corsica
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 79.1Highest 55.6Lowest
Schools
School district Corsica-Stickney 21-3Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1
High school in town Corsica-Stickney High School - 01Alcester-Hudson High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 9.2Lowest 11.4Highest
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.

Corsica neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Corsica’s Town Square.

Alcester neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alcester’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Corsica and Alcester

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

Bordering Corsica

G
+ Compare
Grandview Township133 people · $681K homes
W
+ Compare
Walnut Grove Township183 people · $458K homes

Towns like Corsica

P
+ Compare
Plankinton603 people · $115K homes
B
+ Compare
Burke708 people · $150K homes
M
+ Compare
Miller1,363 people · $155K homes
+ Compare
Garretson1,176 people · $204K 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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