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Compare towns

Menno vs Alcester

50 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.3× in Menno) and typical home built (14 yrs in Menno).

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Menno, SDA regional job hubSouth Dakota · 653 people
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Alcester, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 989 people
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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.

MennoA regional job hub
Work344 jobsbased in Menno, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 18%of SD districts HistorySettled in 18794 places on the National Register All about Menno →
AlcesterKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 31%of SD districts All about Alcester →
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.

Street grid2.3×
Menno has the more walkable street grid
Menno 128Alcester 55.6
Typical home built14 yrs
Menno’s homes are older
Alcester 1970Menno 1956
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,220 more a month in Alcester

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.

Menno$710/mo
Typical home $112K (Census) · tax rate 1.36% · or rent about $396/mo · Housing →
Alcester$1,930/mo
Typical home $302K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.37% · or rent about $688/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,220 a month, about $14,600 a year, between Alcester and Menno.

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
C−MennoBetter than 18% of districts in the state CAlcesterBetter 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
MennoAlcester
Snow a year39″31″
January low10°F7°F
July high86°F85°F
Growing season (days)156d155d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)50th41st
Outdoors & history
MennoAlcester
Settled1879—
National Register places41
Community
MennoAlcester
Library hours a week44 hrs40 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

50 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MennoSDAlcesterSD
Menno ↔ Alcester50 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.

MennoAlcester
People
Population 653Lowest 989Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1%Lowest SD: +8.9% +1.6%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 47.2±8.2Highest 24% above SD 44.4±14.9Lowest 17% above SD
Menno and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.5%±3.7Lowest SD: 24.2% 27.8%±9.5Highest SD: 24.2%
Alcester and Menno are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 31.5%±6.9Lowest SD: 18% 31.9%±6Highest SD: 18%
Alcester and Menno are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.5%Highest SD: 31.9% 20.3%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2%±2.4Highest SD: 5% 1.8%±1.1Lowest SD: 5%
Menno and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,833±$22kHighest 12% below SD $57,000±$6kLowest 24% below SD
Menno and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $111,500±$24kLowest 57% below SD $125,800±$41kHighest 51% below SD
Alcester and Menno are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $396±$331Lowest 58% below SD $688±$75Highest 27% below SD
Alcester and Menno are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,520Lowest 44% below SD $1,726Highest 37% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 13.6%±23.7Lowest SD: 39.8% 14.4%±9.8Highest SD: 39.8%
Alcester and Menno are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9%Lowest SD: 11.9% 12.4%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 74%Highest SD: 68.6% 69.3%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than SD 1970Highest 10 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 15 minHighest 16% below SD 15 minLowest 16% below SD
Work from home 10.5%±11.2Highest SD: 9.7% 4.7%±4.3Lowest SD: 9.7%
Menno and Alcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 16.7%Highest 9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.3 miLowest 33.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.52Highest 1.10Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Freeman (24%)Sioux Falls (26%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AlcesterFew work in Menno
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 128Highest 55.6Lowest
Schools
School district Menno School District 33-2Alcester-Hudson School District 61-1
High school in town Menno High School - 01Alcester-Hudson High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 9.7Lowest 11.4Highest
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.

Menno neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Menno’s Town Square.

Alcester neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alcester’s Town Square.

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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.

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