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Milbank vs Custer

358 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+52% in Custer) and property tax bill (+49% in Custer).

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Milbank, SDHomes around $237KSouth Dakota · 3,525 people

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Custer, SDHomes around $474KSouth Dakota · 2,341 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.

MilbankHomes around $237K

Housing$237K typical home26% below the SD typical home Schools#13 for schools in SDof 34 towns

Outdoors#5 most walkable in SD2.0 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves All about Milbank →

CusterHomes around $474K

Housing$474K typical home47% above the SD typical home

HistorySettled in 18757 places on the National Register HealthHealthier than 72%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Custer →

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.

Home values+52%

Homes cost more in Custer

Custer $235,600Milbank $155,000

Property tax bill+49%

Tax bills are bigger in Custer

Custer $2,430Milbank $1,630

Growth since 2010+12.9 pts

Milbank has grown faster since 2010

Milbank +5.7%Custer -7.2%

Custer has more miles of trail

Custer 4.6 miMilbank 2.0 mi

Average commute10 min

Milbank has the shorter commute

Custer 19 minMilbank 9 min

Work in town+17.2 pts

More of Milbank’s workers stay in town

Milbank 51.3%Custer 34.1%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,440 more a month in Custer

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%

Milbank$1,450/mo

Typical home $237K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.05% · or rent about $548/mo · Housing →

Custer$2,890/mo

Typical home $474K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.03% · or rent about $968/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,440 a month, about $17,300 a year, between Custer and Milbank.

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

B+MilbankBetter than 67% of districts in the state BCusterBetter than 55% of districts in the state

Health

BMilbankHealthier than 61% of U.S. towns B+CusterHealthier than 72% of U.S. towns

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

MilbankCuster

Snow a year32″58″

January low—16°F

July high—80°F

Growing season (days)—129d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)50th 72nd

Outdoors & history

MilbankCuster

Trails2 mi 5 mi

Conserved land3.2%3%

Settled1880 1875

National Register places6 7

Archive photos12 12

Famous people born here5 —

Community

MilbankCuster

Library hours a week45 hrs 33 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

358 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MilbankSD CusterSD

Milbank ↔ Custer358 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

MilbankCuster

People

Population 3,525Highest 2,341Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.7%Highest SD: +8.9% -7.2%Lowest SD: +8.9%

Median age 50±7.6Lowest 32% above SD 51.2±10.5Highest 35% above SD

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

Kids under 18 20.1%±3.9Highest SD: 24.2% 13.4%±3.5Lowest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 29.4%±6.1Lowest SD: 18% 34.7%±4.4Highest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 31.2%Highest SD: 31.9% 26.1%Lowest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.8%±1Lowest SD: 5% 3.4%±2.8Highest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $56,011±$13kLowest 25% below SD $78,369±$11kHighest 4% above SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $155,000±$21kLowest 40% below SD $235,600±$40kHighest 8% below SD

Rentmedian gross, monthly $548±$364Lowest 42% below SD $968±$159Highest about the SD average

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,630Lowest 40% below SD $2,430Highest 11% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 29.7%±21Lowest SD: 39.8% 31.2%±10.1Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 13.2%Lowest SD: 11.9% 14.2%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 69.8%Highest SD: 68.6% 69.5%Lowest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1972Highest 8 yrs older than SD 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 9 minLowest 49% below SD 19 minHighest 5% above SD

Work from home 10.3%±6.2Highest SD: 9.7% 8.1%±5.3Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 51.3%Highest 34.1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 1.3 miLowest 21.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.44Highest 1.33Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (5%)Rapid City (21%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CusterFew work in Milbank

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.2%Highest 3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 2.0 miLowest 4.6 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miLowest 1.8 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Highest 4Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.3Highest 74.2Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #13 of 34 in SD—

School district Milbank School District 25-4Custer School District 16-1

High school in town Milbank High School - 01Custer High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school 12.2Lowest 13.7Highest

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.

Milbank neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Milbank’s Town Square.

Custer neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Custer’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Milbank

Alban Township740 people · $242K homes

Grant Center Township296 people · $403K homes

Towns like Milbank

Lead3,006 people · $189K homes

Chamberlain2,588 people · $224K homes

Mobridge2,932 people · $137K homes

Redfield1,989 people · $120K 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.