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Plankinton vs Bowdle

133 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+16.9 pts in Plankinton) and average commute (13 min in Bowdle).

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Plankinton, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 603 people
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Bowdle, SDA history townSouth Dakota · 475 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.

PlankintonKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 71%of SD districts All about Plankinton →
BowdleA history town
HistorySettled in 18861 place on the National Register All about Bowdle →
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.

Growth since 2010+16.9 pts
Plankinton has grown faster since 2010
Plankinton +10.5%Bowdle -6.4%
Average commute13 min
Bowdle has the shorter commute
Plankinton 22 minBowdle 9 min
Age 65++13.1 pts
Bowdle has more people 65 and up
Bowdle 27.2%Plankinton 14.1%
Property tax bill+36%
Tax bills are bigger in Plankinton
Plankinton $1,703Bowdle $1,250
Jobs per worker+87%
Bowdle is more of a job hub
Bowdle 1.31Plankinton 0.70
Homeowners+9.4 pts renters
Bowdle has more renters
Plankinton 69%Bowdle 59.6%
★ What stands out · 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+PlankintonBetter than 71% of districts in the state B−BowdleBetter than 53% of districts in the state
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Plankinton$740/mo
Typical home $115K (Census) · tax rate 1.48% · or rent about $970/mo · Housing →
Bowdle$690/mo
Typical home $113K (Census) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $783/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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.

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
PlankintonBowdle
Snow a year38″47″
January low8°F3°F
July high86°F83°F
Growing season (days)153d148d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)48th25th
Outdoors & history
PlankintonBowdle
Trails1 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled—1886
National Register places21
Archive photos—12
Famous people born here—2
Community
PlankintonBowdle
Library hours a week10 hrs30 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

133 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PlankintonSDBowdleSD
Plankinton ↔ Bowdle133 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.

PlankintonBowdle
People
Population 603Highest 475Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.5%Highest SD: +8.9% -6.4%Lowest SD: +8.9%
Median age 42.4±3.5Highest 12% above SD 39.1±4.1Lowest about the SD average
Plankinton and Bowdle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.7%±5.5Lowest SD: 24.2% 24.6%±7.2Highest SD: 24.2%
Bowdle and Plankinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.1%±4.1Lowest SD: 18% 27.2%±4.4Highest SD: 18%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 27.5%Highest SD: 31.9% 26%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.7%±2.4Highest SD: 5% 1.7%±2.6Lowest SD: 5%
Plankinton and Bowdle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $74,833±$7kHighest about the SD average $63,750±$29kLowest 15% below SD
Plankinton and Bowdle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $114,800±$29kHighest 55% below SD $112,500±$57kLowest 56% below SD
Plankinton and Bowdle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $970±$159Highest about the SD average $783±$249Lowest 17% below SD
Plankinton and Bowdle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,703Highest 37% below SD $1,250Lowest 54% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 39.3%±28.7Highest SD: 39.8% 26.6%±24.4Lowest SD: 39.8%
Plankinton and Bowdle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 15.6%Highest SD: 11.9% 8.4%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69%Highest SD: 68.6% 59.6%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 1 yr older than SD 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 23% above SD 9 minLowest 47% below SD
Work from home 11.5%±4.5Highest SD: 9.7% 10.9%±3.9Lowest SD: 9.7%
Plankinton and Bowdle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 11.6%Lowest 13.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miLowest 32.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.70Lowest 1.31Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Mitchell (18%)Roscoe (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BowdleFew work in Plankinton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.7 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 117Highest 83.7Lowest
Schools
School district Plankinton School District 01-1Bowdle School District 22-1
High school in town Plankinton High School - 01Bowdle High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 10.1Highest 5.0Lowest
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.

Plankinton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Plankinton’s Town Square.

Bowdle neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bowdle’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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