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Piedmont vs Summerset

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: household income (2.2× in Summerset) and age 65+ (+20.5 pts in Piedmont).

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Piedmont, SDA small town of 981South Dakota · 981 people

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Summerset, SDOne of the healthiest townsSouth Dakota · 3,022 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.

PiedmontA small town of 981

Quiet strengthsPiedmont doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Piedmont →

SummersetOne of the healthiest towns

HealthHealthier than 82%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$431K typical home34% above the SD typical home SafetySafer than 72%of U.S. towns we grade All about Summerset →

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.

Household income2.2×

Households in Summerset earn more

Summerset $119,271Piedmont $53,866

Age 65++20.5 pts

Piedmont has more people 65 and up

Piedmont 28.7%Summerset 8.2%

Bachelor’s degree++20.7 pts

More adults in Summerset have a degree

Summerset 38.4%Piedmont 17.7%

Summerset is the bigger place

Summerset 3,022Piedmont 981

Property tax bill+30%

Tax bills are bigger in Summerset

Summerset $4,204Piedmont $3,246

Typical home built17 yrs

Piedmont’s homes are older

Summerset 2007Piedmont 1990

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $700 more a month in Summerset

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%

Piedmont$1,970/mo

Typical home $324K (Census) · tax rate 1.00% · or rent about $1,170/mo · Housing →

Summerset$2,670/mo

Typical home $431K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.14% · or rent about $1,288/mo · Housing →

The difference: $700 a month, about $8,400 a year, between Summerset and Piedmont.

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.

Safety

–PiedmontNot graded B+SummersetSafer than 72% of U.S. towns

Schools

B−PiedmontBetter than 51% of districts in the state CSummersetBetter than 30% of districts in the state

Health

–PiedmontNot graded A−SummersetHealthier than 82% of U.S. towns

Where they are

Piedmont and Summerset share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

PiedmontSummerset

Piedmont ↔ Summerset2.5 miles apart · They share a border

Who commutes between them

10 Piedmont residents work in Summerset (2.2% of its workers)

Work & commute in Piedmont →

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

PiedmontSummerset

Snow a year36″36″

January low13°F 13°F

July high84°F 84°F

Growing season (days)147d 147d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)79th 84th

Outdoors & history

PiedmontSummerset

Settled1890 2005

National Register places1 —

Community

PiedmontSummerset

Library hours a week38 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.

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

PiedmontSummerset

People

Population 981Lowest 3,022Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +63.8% SD: +8.9%

Median age 43.9±10.7Highest 16% above SD 35.1±2.9Lowest 8% below SD

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

Kids under 18 24.6%±14Lowest SD: 24.2% 29.3%±5.4Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 28.7%±6.2Highest SD: 18% 8.2%±2.3Lowest SD: 18%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.7%Lowest SD: 31.9% 38.4%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.9%±1.5Lowest SD: 5% 3.4%±2.4Highest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $53,866±$11kLowest 28% below SD $119,271±$14kHighest 59% above SD

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $324,200±$94kLowest 26% above SD $368,300±$25kHighest 43% above SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,170±$225Lowest 24% above SD $1,288±$116Highest 36% above SD

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,246Lowest 19% above SD $4,204Highest 54% above SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 39.6%±31.2Lowest SD: 39.8% 59.3%±21.1Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 7.3%Lowest SD: 11.9% 8.6%Highest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 86.9%Highest SD: 68.6% 78.7%Lowest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1990Lowest 10 yrs newer than SD 2007Highest 27 yrs newer than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 16 minLowest 12% below SD 20 minHighest 11% above SD

Work from home 4.3%±2.5 SD: 9.7% 4.3%±2.2 SD: 9.7%

Work in townworking residents 0.7%Lowest 2.9%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miHighest 10.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.23Lowest 0.37Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Rapid City (58%)Rapid City (62%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in SummersetFew work in Piedmont

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Highest 0.1%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.8 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 38.8Highest 27.2Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#29 of 34 in SD

School district Meade School District 46-1Meade School District 46-1

High school in town None in townNone in town

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.

Piedmont neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Piedmont’s Town Square.

Summerset neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Summerset’s Town Square.

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Towns like Piedmont

Whitewood912 people · $243K homes

De Smet943 people · $165K homes

Sverdrup Township861 people · $368K homes

Bath Township446 people · $334K 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.