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Compare towns

Freeman vs Parker

15 miles apart. The biggest differences: household income (+56% in Parker) and growth since 2010 (+15 pts in Parker).

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Freeman, SDHomes around $255KSouth Dakota · 1,565 people
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Parker, SDOne of the healthiest townsSouth Dakota · 1,280 people
Swap order
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.

FreemanHomes around $255K
Housing$255K typical home21% below the SD typical home HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Freeman →
ParkerOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 74%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 68%of SD districts HistorySettled in 18832 places on the National Register All about Parker →
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.

Household income+56%
Households in Parker earn more
Parker $89,676Freeman $57,440
Growth since 2010+15 pts
Parker has grown faster since 2010
Parker +16.8%Freeman +1.8%
Home values+41%
Homes cost more in Parker
Parker $231,100Freeman $164,200
Average commute9 min
Freeman has the shorter commute
Parker 25 minFreeman 16 min
Work in town+17.8 pts
More of Freeman’s workers stay in town
Freeman 25.1%Parker 7.3%
Jobs per worker2×
Freeman is more of a job hub
Freeman 1.28Parker 0.63
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $430 more a month in Parker

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.

Freeman$1,600/mo
Typical home $255K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.24% · or rent about $741/mo · Housing →
Parker$2,030/mo
Typical home $342K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $971/mo · Housing →

The difference: $430 a month, about $5,200 a year, between Parker and Freeman.

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
C+FreemanBetter than 42% of districts in the state B+ParkerBetter than 68% of districts in the state
Health
BFreemanHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns B+ParkerHealthier than 74% of U.S. towns
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
FreemanParker
Snow a year41″41″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)50th49th
Outdoors & history
FreemanParker
Trails1 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled18931883
National Register places32
Archive photos—6
Famous people born here4—
Community
FreemanParker
Library hours a week41 hrs43 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

15 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

FreemanParkerFreemanParker
Freeman ↔ Parker15 miles apart
Who commutes between them
13 Parker residents work in Freeman (2.5% of its workers)
7 Freeman residents work in Parker (1.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Parker →
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.

FreemanParker
People
Population 1,565Highest 1,280Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.8%Lowest SD: +8.9% +16.8%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 37.8±5.2Highest about the SD average 36.4±4.1Lowest 4% below SD
Freeman and Parker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 32.5%±5.3Highest SD: 24.2% 27.6%±3.6Lowest SD: 24.2%
Freeman and Parker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.4%±2.2Highest SD: 18% 14.3%±3.1Lowest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.3%Lowest SD: 31.9% 19.9%Highest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.3%±1.4Lowest SD: 5% 5.2%±4.1Highest SD: 5%
Parker and Freeman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $57,440±$5kLowest 23% below SD $89,676±$13kHighest 19% above SD
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $164,200±$15kLowest 36% below SD $231,100±$51kHighest 10% below SD
Rentmedian gross, monthly $741±$91Lowest 22% below SD $971±$285Highest about the SD average
Parker and Freeman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,030Highest 25% below SD $1,941Lowest 29% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 36.1%±20.2Lowest SD: 39.8% 36.6%±18.9Highest SD: 39.8%
Parker and Freeman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 20.9%Highest SD: 11.9% 11.1%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 75.1%Lowest SD: 68.6% 78.6%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than SD 1973Highest 7 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 16 minLowest 11% below SD 25 minHighest 40% above SD
Work from home 3.5%±2.8Highest SD: 9.7% 2.8%±2.3Lowest SD: 9.7%
Freeman and Parker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 25.1%Highest 7.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.8 miLowest 21.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.28Highest 0.63Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (15%)Sioux Falls (43%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 1% work in Parker2% work in Freeman
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 1.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 69.8Lowest 90.3Highest
Schools
School district Freeman School District 33-1Parker School District 60-4
High school in town Freeman High School - 01Parker High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 9.3Lowest 13.7Highest
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.

Freeman neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Freeman’s Town Square.

Parker neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Parker’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Freeman and Parker

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

Bordering Freeman

G
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Grandview Township104 people · $241K homes
V
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Valley Township198 people · $182K homes

Towns like Freeman

P
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Parkston1,874 people · $157K homes
P
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Platte1,161 people · $179K homes
W
+ Compare
Webster1,896 people · $154K homes
I
+ Compare
Ipswich1,048 people · $165K 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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