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Freeman vs Parkston

28 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (2.3× in Freeman).

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Freeman, SDHomes around $255KSouth Dakota · 1,565 people

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Parkston, SDHomes around $244KSouth Dakota · 1,874 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.

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 →

ParkstonHomes around $244K

Housing$244K typical home24% below the SD typical home HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Parkston →

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.

Freeman has more miles of trail

Freeman 1.4 miParkston 0.6 mi

★ 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+FreemanBetter than 42% of districts in the state BParkstonBetter than 58% of districts in the state

Health

BFreemanHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns BParkstonHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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%

Freeman$1,600/mo

Typical home $255K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.24% · or rent about $741/mo · Housing →

Parkston$1,510/mo

Typical home $244K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.16% · or rent about $717/mo · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,000 a year, between Freeman and Parkston.

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

FreemanParkston

Snow a year41″39″

January low—10°F

July high—86°F

Growing season (days)—156d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)50th 54th

Outdoors & history

FreemanParkston

Trails1 mi 1 mi

Conserved land0%0%

Settled1893 1886

National Register places3 —

Famous people born here4 —

Community

FreemanParkston

Library hours a week41 hrs 47 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.

Where they are

28 miles apart

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

FreemanParkston

Freeman ↔ Parkston28 miles apart

Who commutes between them

20 Parkston residents work in Freeman (2.8% of its workers)

Work & commute in Parkston →

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

FreemanParkston

People

Population 1,565Lowest 1,874Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.8%Lowest SD: +8.9% +3.9%Highest SD: +8.9%

Median age 37.8±5.2Lowest about the SD average 39.4±4Highest 4% above SD

Parkston and Freeman 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% 27.4%±4.4Lowest SD: 24.2%

Freeman and Parkston 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% 18.7%±3.7Lowest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.3%Lowest SD: 31.9% 25.5%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.3%±1.4Highest SD: 5% 2.6%±1.4Lowest SD: 5%

Freeman and Parkston 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 $70,139±$9kHighest 7% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $164,200±$15kHighest 36% below SD $157,100±$14kLowest 39% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $741±$91Highest 22% below SD $717±$208Lowest 24% below SD

Freeman and Parkston 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 $1,818Lowest 33% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 36.1%±20.2 SD: 39.8% 36.1%±17.5 SD: 39.8%

Below poverty line 20.9%Highest SD: 11.9% 7.5%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 75.1%Highest SD: 68.6% 73.7%Lowest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than SD 1968Highest 12 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 16 minLowest 11% below SD 16 minHighest 10% below SD

Work from home 3.5%±2.8Lowest SD: 9.7% 4.6%±2.9Highest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 25.1%Lowest 30.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.8 miLowest 21.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.28Highest 1.02Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (15%)Mitchell (18%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Parkston3% work in Freeman

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 1.4 miHighest 0.6 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.5 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 69.8Lowest 83.4Highest

Schools

School district Freeman School District 33-1Parkston School District 33-3

High school in town Freeman High School - 01Parkston High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school 9.3Lowest 9.9Highest

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.

Parkston neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Parkston’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Freeman and Parkston

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

Bordering Freeman

Grandview Township104 people · $241K homes

Valley Township198 people · $182K homes

Towns like Freeman

Platte1,161 people · $179K homes

Parker1,280 people · $231K homes

Webster1,896 people · $154K homes

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.