Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Harrisburg vs Dell Rapids

27 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+54.6 pts in Harrisburg) and rent (+42% in Harrisburg).

×
Harrisburg, SDHomes around $363KSouth Dakota · 8,519 people
×
Dell Rapids, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 3,905 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.

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.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Harrisburg places higher on 11 of 23 SD lists

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.

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.

Harrisburg$2,250/mo
Typical home $363K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.16% · or rent about $1,362/mo · Housing →
Dell Rapids$2,330/mo
Typical home $371K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.24% · or rent about $962/mo · Housing →

The difference: $70 a month, about $900 a year, between Dell Rapids and Harrisburg.

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
HarrisburgDell Rapids
Snow a year49″40″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)48th60th
Outdoors & history
HarrisburgDell Rapids
Trails1 mi2 mi
Conserved land0.2%2.6%
Settled—1871
National Register places—13
Community
HarrisburgDell Rapids
Library hours a week46 hrs54 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

27 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

HarrisburgDell RapidsHarrisburgDell Rapids
Harrisburg ↔ Dell Rapids27 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.

HarrisburgDell Rapids
People
Population 8,519Highest 3,905Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +64.6%Highest SD: +8.9% +10%Lowest SD: +8.9%
Median age 31.1±1.7Lowest 18% below SD 39.3±2.1Highest 3% above SD
Kids under 18 34.2%±5.5Highest SD: 24.2% 26.3%±4.5Lowest SD: 24.2%
Harrisburg and Dell Rapids are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 3.7%±2Lowest SD: 18% 18%±3.8Highest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 43.8%Highest SD: 31.9% 38.9%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±1.2Lowest SD: 5% 2%±1.2Highest SD: 5%
Dell Rapids and Harrisburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $108,724±$12kHighest 45% above SD $100,170±$17kLowest 33% above SD
Harrisburg and Dell Rapids are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $312,200±$27kHighest 21% above SD $301,700±$31kLowest 17% above SD
Harrisburg and Dell Rapids are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,362±$67Highest 44% above SD $962±$79Lowest about the SD average
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,637Lowest 34% above SD $3,748Highest 38% above SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 36.5%±22Lowest SD: 39.8% 38.6%±13.2Highest SD: 39.8%
Dell Rapids and Harrisburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 0.5%Lowest SD: 11.9% 9.4%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 78.4%Lowest SD: 68.6% 82.3%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2008Highest 28 yrs newer than SD 1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 23% above SD 25 minHighest 39% above SD
Work from home 12.2%±3.7Highest SD: 9.7% 7.5%±3.4Lowest SD: 9.7%
Harrisburg and Dell Rapids are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 10.2%Lowest 15.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 7.3 miLowest 19.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.55Highest 0.46Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (67%)Sioux Falls (51%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Dell RapidsFew work in Harrisburg
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.2%Lowest 2.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miLowest 1.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 6Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 56.6Lowest 78.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #17 of 34 in SD#2 of 34 in SD
School district Harrisburg School District 41-2Dell Rapids School District 49-3
High school in town Harrisburg High School - 01Dell Rapids High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 14.3Lowest 16.4Highest
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.

Harrisburg neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Harrisburg’s Town Square.

Dell Rapids neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 6d

New Local Spot to Check Out

1 neighbor in Dell Rapids can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Harrisburg and Dell Rapids

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

Bordering Harrisburg

Towns like Harrisburg

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.

Post to Harrisburg

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in