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Marion vs Centerville

26 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (2× in Centerville) and typical home built (17 yrs in Centerville).

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Marion, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 981 people

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Centerville, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 903 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.

MarionKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 31%of SD districts All about Marion →

CentervilleKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 86%of SD districts

HistorySettled in 18943 places on the National Register All about Centerville →

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.

Centerville has more miles of trail

Centerville 0.4 miMarion 0.2 mi

Typical home built17 yrs

Centerville’s homes are older

Marion 1965Centerville 1948

Growth since 2010+4.2 pts

Marion has grown faster since 2010

Marion +8.3%Centerville +4.1%

Street grid+41%

Centerville has the more walkable street grid

Centerville 96.5Marion 68.5

★ 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

CMarionBetter than 31% of districts in the state ACentervilleBetter than 86% of districts in the state

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%

Marion$1,800/mo

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

Centerville$1,910/mo

Typical home $301K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.32% · or rent about $485/mo · Housing →

The difference: $110 a month, about $1,400 a year, between Centerville and Marion.

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

MarionCenterville

Snow a year41″31″

January low—7°F

July high—84°F

Growing season (days)—151d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)49th 46th

Outdoors & history

MarionCenterville

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land0%—

Settled1881 1894

National Register places—3

Archive photos—5

Famous people born here—2

Community

MarionCenterville

Library hours a week—51 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

26 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MarionCenterville

Marion ↔ Centerville26 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

MarionCenterville

People

Population 981Highest 903Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.3%Highest SD: +8.9% +4.1%Lowest SD: +8.9%

Median age 51.7±9.3Highest 36% above SD 48.4±8.9Lowest 27% above SD

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

Kids under 18 21.1%±4.5Lowest SD: 24.2% 23.1%±4Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 33.6%±1.8Highest SD: 18% 32.3%±3.9Lowest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.8%Lowest SD: 31.9% 25.9%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.4%±1.7Highest SD: 5% 1%±1.4Lowest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $67,750±$16kHighest 10% below SD $54,318±$21kLowest 28% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $164,500±$29kHighest 36% below SD $161,200±$28kLowest 37% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $813±$79Highest 14% below SD $485±$327Lowest 49% below SD

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,852Lowest 32% below SD $2,124Highest 22% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 35.2%±19.5Lowest SD: 39.8% 53.1%±51.9Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 10.8%Highest SD: 11.9% 7.7%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 75.9%Lowest SD: 68.6% 78.3%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1965Highest 15 yrs older than SD 1948Lowest 32 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 22 min 23% above SD 22 min 23% above SD

Work from home 2.3%±1.6Lowest SD: 9.7% 6.9%±3.5Highest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 7%Highest 4.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.8 miLowest 27.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.63Highest 0.53Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (38%)Sioux Falls (27%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CentervilleFew work in Marion

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miLowest 0.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.6 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 68.5Lowest 96.5Highest

Schools

School district Marion School District 60-3Centerville School District 60-1

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

Students per teacherat that high school 9.0Lowest 13.1Highest

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.

Marion neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marion’s Town Square.

Centerville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Centerville’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Marion and Centerville

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

Bordering Marion

Marion Township113 people · $328K homes

Monroe Township136 people · $347K homes

Towns like Marion

Howard943 people · $101K homes

Philip571 people · $182K homes

Clark1,359 people · $123K homes

Gettysburg1,260 people · $125K 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.