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Howard vs Marion

43 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.5× in Howard) and home values (+63% in Marion).

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Howard, SDA regional job hubSouth Dakota · 943 people

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Marion, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 981 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.

HowardA regional job hub

Work567 jobsbased in Howard, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 79%of SD districts All about Howard →

MarionKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 31%of SD districts All about Marion →

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.

Howard has more miles of trail

Howard 0.9 miMarion 0.2 mi

Home values+63%

Homes cost more in Marion

Marion $164,500Howard $100,700

Jobs per worker2.7×

Howard is more of a job hub

Howard 1.73Marion 0.63

Work in town+26.8 pts

More of Howard’s workers stay in town

Howard 33.8%Marion 7%

Rent runs higher in Marion

Marion $813Howard $586

Property tax bill+37%

Tax bills are bigger in Marion

Marion $1,852Howard $1,347

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,150 more a month in Marion

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%

Howard$640/mo

Typical home $101K (Census) · tax rate 1.34% · or rent about $586/mo · Housing →

Marion$1,800/mo

Typical home $290K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $813/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,150 a month, about $13,900 a year, between Marion and Howard.

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

A−HowardBetter than 79% of districts in the state CMarionBetter than 31% of districts in the state

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

HowardMarion

Snow a year36″41″

January low5°F —

July high87°F —

Growing season (days)149d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)29th 49th

Outdoors & history

HowardMarion

Conserved land—0%

Settled1881 1881

Archive photos4 —

Community

HowardMarion

Library hours a week23 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

43 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

HowardSD MarionSD

Howard ↔ Marion43 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

HowardMarion

People

Population 943Lowest 981Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.2%Lowest SD: +8.9% +8.3%Highest SD: +8.9%

Median age 49.4±5.1Lowest 30% above SD 51.7±9.3Highest 36% above SD

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

Kids under 18 21%±4.7Lowest SD: 24.2% 21.1%±4.5Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 31%±5.5Lowest SD: 18% 33.6%±1.8Highest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.8%Lowest SD: 31.9% 18.8%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.6%±1.3Highest SD: 5% 1.4%±1.7Lowest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $60,313±$12kLowest 20% below SD $67,750±$16kHighest 10% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $100,700±$28kLowest 61% below SD $164,500±$29kHighest 36% below SD

Rentmedian gross, monthly $586±$44Lowest 38% below SD $813±$79Highest 14% below SD

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,347Lowest 51% below SD $1,852Highest 32% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 26.7%±19.9Lowest SD: 39.8% 35.2%±19.5Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 19.6%Highest SD: 11.9% 10.8%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 76.7%Highest SD: 68.6% 75.9%Lowest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than SD 1965Highest 15 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 25% above SD 22 minLowest 23% above SD

Work from home 8.5%±5.9Highest SD: 9.7% 2.3%±1.6Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 33.8%Highest 7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.8 miLowest 25.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.73Highest 0.63Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (15%)Sioux Falls (38%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MarionFew work in Howard

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 86.4Highest 68.5Lowest

Schools

School district Howard School District 48-3Marion School District 60-3

High school in town Howard High School - 01Marion High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school 9.9Highest 9.0Lowest

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.

Howard neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Howard’s Town Square.

Marion neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marion’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Howard and Marion

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

Towns like Howard

Clark1,359 people · $123K homes

Menno653 people · $112K homes

Big Stone City706 people · $151K homes

Bridgewater451 people · $116K 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.