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Marion vs Howard

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

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Marion, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 981 people

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Howard, SDA regional job hubSouth Dakota · 943 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 →

HowardA regional job hub

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

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%

Marion$1,800/mo

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

Howard$640/mo

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

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

MarionHoward

Snow a year41″36″

January low—5°F

July high—87°F

Growing season (days)—149d

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

Outdoors & history

MarionHoward

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land0%—

Settled1881 1881

Archive photos—4

Community

MarionHoward

Library hours a week—23 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.

MarionSD HowardSD

Marion ↔ Howard43 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

MarionHoward

People

Population 981Highest 943Lowest

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

Median age 51.7±9.3Highest 36% above SD 49.4±5.1Lowest 30% 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 21.1%±4.5Highest SD: 24.2% 21%±4.7Lowest 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+ 33.6%±1.8Highest SD: 18% 31%±5.5Lowest 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+ 18.8%Highest SD: 31.9% 13.8%Lowest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.4%±1.7Lowest SD: 5% 1.6%±1.3Highest 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 $67,750±$16kHighest 10% below SD $60,313±$12kLowest 20% 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 $164,500±$29kHighest 36% below SD $100,700±$28kLowest 61% below SD

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

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

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 35.2%±19.5Highest SD: 39.8% 26.7%±19.9Lowest 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 10.8%Lowest SD: 11.9% 19.6%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

Work from home 2.3%±1.6Lowest SD: 9.7% 8.5%±5.9Highest 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 7%Lowest 33.8%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.8 miHighest 20.8 miLowest

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

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

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

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miLowest 0.9 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.9 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

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

Schools

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

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

Students per teacherat that high school 9.0Lowest 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.

Marion neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marion’s Town Square.

Howard neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Howard’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Marion and Howard

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

Centerville903 people · $161K 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.