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De Smet vs Centerville

93 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (2.7× in De Smet) and work in town (+26.8 pts in De Smet).

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De Smet, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 943 people
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Centerville, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 903 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.

De SmetKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 18%of SD districts HistorySettled in 18805 places on the National Register Housing$261K typical home19% below the SD typical home All about De Smet →
CentervilleKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 86%of SD districts HistorySettled in 18943 places on the National Register All about Centerville →
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.

Jobs per worker2.7×
De Smet is more of a job hub
De Smet 1.42Centerville 0.53
Work in town+26.8 pts
More of De Smet’s workers stay in town
De Smet 31%Centerville 4.2%
Average commute10 min
De Smet has the shorter commute
Centerville 22 minDe Smet 12 min
Growth since 2010+7.1 pts
Centerville has grown faster since 2010
Centerville +4.1%De Smet -3%
★ What stands out · 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
C−De SmetBetter than 18% of districts in the state ACentervilleBetter than 86% of districts in the state
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $280 more a month in Centerville

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.

De Smet$1,630/mo
Typical home $261K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.23% · or rent about $708/mo · Housing →
Centerville$1,910/mo
Typical home $301K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.32% · or rent about $485/mo · Housing →

The difference: $280 a month, about $3,300 a year, between Centerville and De Smet.

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
De SmetCenterville
Snow a year41″31″
January low5°F7°F
July high82°F84°F
Growing season (days)151d151d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)30th46th
Outdoors & history
De SmetCenterville
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0.3%—
Settled18801894
National Register places53
Archive photos—5
Famous people born here—2
Community
De SmetCenterville
Library hours a week23 hrs51 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

93 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

De SmetSDCentervilleSD
De Smet ↔ Centerville93 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.

De SmetCenterville
People
Population 943Highest 903Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3%Lowest SD: +8.9% +4.1%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 47.3±9.4Lowest 24% above SD 48.4±8.9Highest 27% above SD
Centerville and De Smet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.9%±3.9Lowest SD: 24.2% 23.1%±4Highest SD: 24.2%
Centerville and De Smet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 29.3%±5.1Lowest SD: 18% 32.3%±3.9Highest SD: 18%
Centerville and De Smet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22.1%Lowest SD: 31.9% 25.9%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.3%±1.1Lowest SD: 5% 1%±1.4Highest SD: 5%
Centerville and De Smet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $67,321±$16kHighest 10% below SD $54,318±$21kLowest 28% below SD
De Smet and Centerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $165,200±$24kHighest 36% below SD $161,200±$28kLowest 37% below SD
De Smet and Centerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $708±$307Highest 25% below SD $485±$327Lowest 49% below SD
De Smet and Centerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,036Lowest 25% below SD $2,124Highest 22% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 28.1%±14.8Lowest SD: 39.8% 53.1%±51.9Highest SD: 39.8%
Centerville and De Smet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.6%Lowest SD: 11.9% 7.7%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 85.2%Highest SD: 68.6% 78.3%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1958Highest 22 yrs older than SD 1948Lowest 32 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 12 minLowest 34% below SD 22 minHighest 23% above SD
Work from home 6.9%±4.3 SD: 9.7% 6.9%±3.5 SD: 9.7%
Work in townworking residents 31%Highest 4.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.8 miLowest 27.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.42Highest 0.53Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (9%)Sioux Falls (27%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CentervilleFew work in De Smet
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 79.4Lowest 96.5Highest
Schools
School district De Smet School District 38-2Centerville School District 60-1
High school in town De Smet High School - 01Centerville High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 10.1Lowest 13.1Highest
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.

De Smet neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to De Smet’s Town Square.

Centerville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Centerville’s Town Square.

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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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