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Deadwood vs Garretson

361 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (20× in Deadwood) and jobs per worker (10.6× in Deadwood).

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Deadwood, SDA regional job hubSouth Dakota · 1,209 people

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Garretson, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 1,176 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.

DeadwoodA regional job hub

Work2,492 jobsbased in Deadwood, a regional job hub SafetySafer than 10%of U.S. towns we grade Housing$456K typical home42% above the SD typical home All about Deadwood →

GarretsonKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 27%of SD districts HealthHealthier than 72%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates

HistorySettled in 18914 places on the National Register All about Garretson →

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.

Deadwood has more miles of trail

Deadwood 4.0 miGarretson 0.2 mi

Jobs per worker10.6×

Deadwood is more of a job hub

Deadwood 4.98Garretson 0.47

Work in town+35.7 pts

More of Deadwood’s workers stay in town

Deadwood 40.2%Garretson 4.5%

Growth since 2010+14.3 pts

Garretson has grown faster since 2010

Garretson +5.3%Deadwood -9%

Kids under 18+14 pts

Garretson has more kids

Garretson 21%Deadwood 7%

Average commute12 min

Deadwood has the shorter commute

Garretson 26 minDeadwood 14 min

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,070 more a month in Deadwood

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%

Deadwood$2,800/mo

Typical home $456K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.06% · or rent about $702/mo · Housing →

Garretson$1,730/mo

Typical home $277K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.21% · or rent about $697/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,070 a month, about $12,800 a year, between Deadwood and Garretson.

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

Deadwood gets 139 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

DeadwoodGarretson

Snow a year184″45″

January low18°F 9°F

July high82°F 85°F

Growing season (days)133d 157d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)88th 32nd

Outdoors & history

DeadwoodGarretson

Trails4 mi 0 mi

Conserved land10.6%0%

Settled1876 1891

National Register places2 4

Archive photos6 6

Community

DeadwoodGarretson

Library hours a week43 hrs 13 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.

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.

Safety

DDeadwoodSafer than 10% of U.S. towns –GarretsonNot graded

Schools

C+DeadwoodBetter than 39% of districts in the state CGarretsonBetter than 27% of districts in the state

Health

B−DeadwoodHealthier than 51% of U.S. towns B+GarretsonHealthier than 72% of U.S. towns

Where they are

361 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DeadwoodSD GarretsonSD

Deadwood ↔ Garretson361 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

DeadwoodGarretson

People

Population 1,209Highest 1,176Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -9%Lowest SD: +8.9% +5.3%Highest SD: +8.9%

Median age 57.3±10.1Highest 51% above SD 48.5±8Lowest 28% above SD

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

Kids under 18 7%±2.4Lowest SD: 24.2% 21%±7.3Highest SD: 24.2%

Age 65+ 37.2%±10Highest SD: 18% 23.6%±4.5Lowest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21.1%Lowest SD: 31.9% 28.2%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7%±7.4Highest SD: 5% 2%±1.1Lowest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $40,179±$16kLowest 46% below SD $59,741±$11kHighest 20% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $226,500±$21kHighest 12% below SD $203,800±$30kLowest 21% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $702±$85Highest 26% below SD $697±$43Lowest 26% below SD

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,409Lowest 12% below SD $2,471Highest 9% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 26.9%±32.2Lowest SD: 39.8% 27%±5.8Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 6.7%Highest SD: 11.9% 5.3%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 55.9%Lowest SD: 68.6% 62.7%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than SD 1973Highest 7 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 14 minLowest 22% below SD 26 minHighest 46% above SD

Work from home 7.9%±6.2Lowest SD: 9.7% 8.5%±3.7Highest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 40.2%Highest 4.5%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 6.8 miLowest 16.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 4.98Highest 0.47Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Rapid City (14%)Sioux Falls (56%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GarretsonFew work in Deadwood

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 10.6%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 4.0 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 22.9Lowest 37.7Highest

Schools

School district Lead-Deadwood School District 40-1Garretson School District 49-4

High school in town None in townGarretson High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school — 11.8

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.

Deadwood neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Deadwood’s Town Square.

Garretson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Garretson’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Deadwood and Garretson

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

Bordering Deadwood

Lead3,006 people · $189K homes

Towns like Deadwood

Philip571 people · $182K homes

Utica Township831 people · $234K homes

Redfield1,989 people · $120K homes

Lake Preston596 people · $130K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks South Dakota towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.