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Compare towns

Salem vs Clear Lake

79 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3× in Salem) and rent (+46% in Salem).

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Salem, SDOne of the healthiest townsSouth Dakota · 1,216 people
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Clear Lake, SDA small town of 1,327South Dakota · 1,327 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.

SalemOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 73%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 31%of SD districts Housing$254K typical home21% below the SD typical home All about Salem →
Clear LakeA small town of 1,327
Quiet strengthsClear Lake doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Clear Lake →
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.

Street grid3×
Salem has the more walkable street grid
Salem 91.2Clear Lake 30.3
Rent+46%
Rent runs higher in Salem
Salem $965Clear Lake $663
Work in town+11.6 pts
More of Clear Lake’s workers stay in town
Clear Lake 28.2%Salem 16.6%
Jobs per worker+52%
Clear Lake is more of a job hub
Clear Lake 1.08Salem 0.71
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $560 more a month in Salem

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.

Salem$1,570/mo
Typical home $254K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.12% · or rent about $965/mo · Housing →
Clear Lake$1,010/mo
Typical home $163K (Census) · tax rate 1.17% · or rent about $663/mo · Housing →

The difference: $560 a month, about $6,700 a year, between Salem and Clear Lake.

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
CSalemBetter than 31% of districts in the state C+Clear LakeBetter than 40% of districts in the state
Health
B+SalemHealthier than 73% of U.S. towns BClear LakeHealthier than 56% 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
SalemClear Lake
Snow a year31″61″
January low—2°F
July high—80°F
Growing season (days)—146d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)52nd47th
Outdoors & history
SalemClear Lake
National Register places41
Community
SalemClear Lake
Library hours a week—33 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

79 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SalemSDClear LakeSD
Salem ↔ Clear Lake79 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.

SalemClear Lake
People
Population 1,216Lowest 1,327Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.6%Highest SD: +8.9% -4.3%Lowest SD: +8.9%
Median age 39.6±6.8Lowest 4% above SD 43.1±5.4Highest 13% above SD
Clear Lake and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.6%±4.1Highest SD: 24.2% 22.8%±3.8Lowest SD: 24.2%
Salem and Clear Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.1%±4Lowest SD: 18% 25.5%±5Highest SD: 18%
Clear Lake and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26.6%Highest SD: 31.9% 26.5%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.4%±0.9Lowest SD: 5% 6.6%±3.9Highest SD: 5%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $74,881±$24kLowest about the SD average $84,792±$24kHighest 13% above SD
Clear Lake and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $166,700±$14kHighest 35% below SD $162,500±$17kLowest 37% below SD
Salem and Clear Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $965±$101Highest about the SD average $663±$118Lowest 30% below SD
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,875Lowest 31% below SD $1,902Highest 30% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 42.9%±17.5Highest SD: 39.8% 27.1%±13.7Lowest SD: 39.8%
Salem and Clear Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.6%Lowest SD: 11.9% 9.8%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68%Lowest SD: 68.6% 73%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974 6 yrs older than SD 1974 6 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minHighest 29% above SD 20 minLowest 13% above SD
Work from home 7%±3.9Highest SD: 9.7% 2.3%±2Lowest SD: 9.7%
Salem and Clear Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 16.6%Lowest 28.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 31.8 miHighest 23.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.71Lowest 1.08Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (29%)Watertown (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Clear LakeFew work in Salem
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 7.1%Highest
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 91.2Highest 30.3Lowest
Schools
School district McCook Central School District 43-7Deuel School District 19-4
High school in town McCook Central High School - 01Deuel High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 12.6Lowest 14.4Highest
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.

Salem neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Salem’s Town Square.

Clear Lake neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Clear Lake’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Salem

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Miller1,363 people · $155K homes
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Arlington920 people · $144K homes
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Parkston1,874 people · $157K homes
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Platte1,161 people · $179K 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.

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