Compare towns

Montrose vs Murdo

177 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+81% in Montrose) and work in town (+36.2 pts in Murdo).

Montrose, SDA history townSouth Dakota · 483 people

Murdo, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 599 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.

MontroseA history town

HistorySettled in 188029 archive photos, postcards and papers Housing$383K typical home19% above the SD typical home All about Montrose →

MurdoKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 92%of SD districts

HistorySettled in 19071 place on the National Register All about Murdo →

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.

Home values+81%

Homes cost more in Montrose

Montrose $239,700Murdo $132,400

Work in town+36.2 pts

More of Murdo’s workers stay in town

Murdo 41.2%Montrose 5%

Average commute12 min

Murdo has the shorter commute

Montrose 24 minMurdo 12 min

Jobs per worker2.4×

Murdo is more of a job hub

Murdo 1.16Montrose 0.48

Property tax bill+36%

Tax bills are bigger in Montrose

Montrose $2,339Murdo $1,726

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,480 more a month in Montrose

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%

Montrose$2,320/mo

Typical home $383K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.98% · or rent about $663/mo · Housing →

Murdo$840/mo

Typical home $132K (Census) · tax rate 1.30% · or rent about $534/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,480 a month, about $17,800 a year, between Montrose and Murdo.

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

BMontroseBetter than 60% of districts in the state AMurdoBetter than 92% 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

MontroseMurdo

Snow a year31″49″

January low—12°F

July high—87°F

Growing season (days)—158d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)52nd 48th

Outdoors & history

MontroseMurdo

Settled1880 1907

National Register places—1

Archive photos29 18

Community

MontroseMurdo

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

177 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MontroseSD MurdoSD

Montrose ↔ Murdo177 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

MontroseMurdo

People

Population 483Lowest 599Highest

Median age 35.6±11.6Highest 6% below SD 33.7±15.3Lowest 11% below SD

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

Kids under 18 22.6%±3.6Lowest SD: 24.2% 29%±13.9Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 12.6%±2.7Lowest SD: 18% 23.9%±9.9Highest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26%Highest SD: 31.9% 23.7%Lowest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.6%±3.3Highest SD: 5% 2.3%±2.4Lowest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $78,125±$13kHighest 4% above SD $67,045±$23kLowest 11% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $239,700±$53kHighest 7% below SD $132,400±$41kLowest 49% below SD

Rentmedian gross, monthly $663±$61Highest 30% below SD $534±$335Lowest 44% below SD

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,339Highest 14% below SD $1,726Lowest 37% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 29.2%±48Highest SD: 39.8% 4.1%±35.8Lowest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 7.5%Lowest SD: 11.9% 21.7%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 74.1%Highest SD: 68.6% 72.4%Lowest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than SD 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 34% above SD 12 minLowest 33% below SD

Work from home 3.7%±2.4Highest SD: 9.7% 3.6%±4.2Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 5%Lowest 41.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.8 miLowest 33.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.48Lowest 1.16Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (37%)Rapid City (7%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MurdoFew work in Montrose

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.1%Highest 0%Lowest

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 103Lowest 116Highest

Schools

School district Montrose School District 43-2Jones County School District 37-3

High school in town Montrose High School - 01Jones County High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school 11.3Highest 7.4Lowest

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.

Montrose neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Montrose’s Town Square.

Murdo neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Murdo’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.

Montrose vs Murdo

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $1,480 more a month in Montrose

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

177 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

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Towns like Montrose

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