Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Miller vs Parkston

92 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (6× in Parkston) and growth since 2010 (+13.3 pts in Parkston).

×
Miller, SDHomes around $199KSouth Dakota · 1,363 people
×
Parkston, SDHomes around $244KSouth Dakota · 1,874 people
Swap order
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.

MillerHomes around $199K
Housing$199K typical home38% below the SD typical home History17 archive photos & papers4 places on the National Register HealthHealthier than 69%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Miller →
ParkstonHomes around $244K
Housing$244K typical home24% below the SD typical home HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Parkston →
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.

Trails6×
Parkston has more miles of trail
Parkston 0.6 miMiller 0.1 mi
Growth since 2010+13.3 pts
Parkston has grown faster since 2010
Parkston +3.9%Miller -9.4%
Property tax bill+32%
Tax bills are bigger in Parkston
Parkston $1,818Miller $1,373
Age 65++10.6 pts
Miller has more people 65 and up
Miller 29.3%Parkston 18.7%
Average commute5 min
Miller has the shorter commute
Parkston 16 minMiller 11 min
Street grid+40%
Miller has the more walkable street grid
Miller 117Parkston 83.4
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $330 more a month in Parkston

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.

Miller$1,190/mo
Typical home $199K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.88% · or rent about $564/mo · Housing →
Parkston$1,510/mo
Typical home $244K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.16% · or rent about $717/mo · Housing →

The difference: $330 a month, about $3,900 a year, between Parkston and Miller.

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
BMillerBetter than 59% of districts in the state BParkstonBetter than 58% of districts in the state
Health
B+MillerHealthier than 69% of U.S. towns BParkstonHealthier than 64% 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
MillerParkston
Snow a year44″39″
January low7°F10°F
July high85°F86°F
Growing season (days)152d156d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)43rd54th
Outdoors & history
MillerParkston
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Settled—1886
National Register places4—
Archive photos17—
Famous people born here6—
Community
MillerParkston
Library hours a week27 hrs47 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

92 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MillerSDParkstonSD
Miller ↔ Parkston92 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.

MillerParkston
People
Population 1,363Lowest 1,874Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -9.4%Lowest SD: +8.9% +3.9%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 41.9±8.4Highest 10% above SD 39.4±4Lowest 4% above SD
Miller and Parkston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.3%±5Lowest SD: 24.2% 27.4%±4.4Highest SD: 24.2%
Parkston and Miller are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 29.3%±3.4Highest SD: 18% 18.7%±3.7Lowest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28.1%Highest SD: 31.9% 25.5%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±2.2Highest SD: 5% 2.6%±1.4Lowest SD: 5%
Miller and Parkston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $57,500±$12kLowest 23% below SD $70,139±$9kHighest 7% below SD
Parkston and Miller are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $155,200±$16kLowest 40% below SD $157,100±$14kHighest 39% below SD
Parkston and Miller are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $564±$43Lowest 40% below SD $717±$208Highest 24% below SD
Parkston and Miller are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,373Lowest 50% below SD $1,818Highest 33% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.2%±10.9Lowest SD: 39.8% 36.1%±17.5Highest SD: 39.8%
Parkston and Miller are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.6%Highest SD: 11.9% 7.5%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 66.2%Lowest SD: 68.6% 73.7%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than SD 1968Highest 12 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 11 minLowest 38% below SD 16 minHighest 10% below SD
Work from home 5%±3.1Highest SD: 9.7% 4.6%±2.9Lowest SD: 9.7%
Miller and Parkston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 34.6%Highest 30.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miLowest 21.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.01Lowest 1.02Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Miller Township (7%)Mitchell (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ParkstonFew work in Miller
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 117Highest 83.4Lowest
Schools
School district Miller School District 29-4Parkston School District 33-3
High school in town Miller High School - 01Parkston High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 10.8Highest 9.9Lowest
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.

Miller neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Miller’s Town Square.

Parkston neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Parkston’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Miller and Parkston

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

Towns like Miller

+ Compare
Salem1,216 people · $167K homes
W
+ Compare
Webster1,896 people · $154K homes
+ Compare
Clear Lake1,327 people · $163K homes
C
+ Compare
Corsica699 people · $163K 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.

Post to Miller

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in