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Compare towns

Salem vs Parkston

38 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (7 min in Parkston) and work in town (+13.6 pts in Parkston).

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Salem, SDOne of the healthiest townsSouth Dakota · 1,216 people
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Parkston, SDHomes around $244KSouth Dakota · 1,874 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.

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 →
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 differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Average commute7 min
Parkston has the shorter commute
Salem 23 minParkston 16 min
Work in town+13.6 pts
More of Parkston’s workers stay in town
Parkston 30.2%Salem 16.6%
Growth since 2010+5.5 pts
Parkston has grown faster since 2010
Parkston +3.9%Salem -1.6%
★ 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
CSalemBetter than 31% of districts in the state BParkstonBetter than 58% of districts in the state
Health
B+SalemHealthier than 73% of U.S. towns BParkstonHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns
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.

Salem$1,570/mo
Typical home $254K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.12% · or rent about $965/mo · Housing →
Parkston$1,510/mo
Typical home $244K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.16% · or rent about $717/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Salem and Parkston.

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
SalemParkston
Snow a year31″39″
January low—10°F
July high—86°F
Growing season (days)—156d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)52nd54th
Outdoors & history
SalemParkston
Trails—1 mi
Conserved land—0%
Settled—1886
National Register places4—
Community
SalemParkston
Library hours a week—47 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

38 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SalemSDParkstonSD
Salem ↔ Parkston38 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.

SalemParkston
People
Population 1,216Lowest 1,874Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.6%Lowest SD: +8.9% +3.9%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 39.6±6.8Highest 4% above SD 39.4±4Lowest 4% above SD
Salem and Parkston 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% 27.4%±4.4Lowest SD: 24.2%
Salem and Parkston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.1%±4Highest SD: 18% 18.7%±3.7Lowest SD: 18%
Salem and Parkston 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% 25.5%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.4%±0.9Lowest SD: 5% 2.6%±1.4Highest SD: 5%
Parkston and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $74,881±$24kHighest about the SD average $70,139±$9kLowest 7% below SD
Salem and Parkston 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 $157,100±$14kLowest 39% below SD
Salem and Parkston 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 $717±$208Lowest 24% below SD
Salem and Parkston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,875Highest 31% below SD $1,818Lowest 33% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 42.9%±17.5Highest SD: 39.8% 36.1%±17.5Lowest SD: 39.8%
Salem and Parkston 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% 7.5%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68%Lowest SD: 68.6% 73.7%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 6 yrs older than SD 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minHighest 29% above SD 16 minLowest 10% below SD
Work from home 7%±3.9Highest SD: 9.7% 4.6%±2.9Lowest SD: 9.7%
Salem and Parkston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 16.6%Lowest 30.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 31.8 miHighest 21.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.71Lowest 1.02Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (29%)Mitchell (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ParkstonFew work in Salem
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 91.2Highest 83.4Lowest
Schools
School district McCook Central School District 43-7Parkston School District 33-3
High school in town McCook Central High School - 01Parkston High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 12.6Highest 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.

Salem neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Salem’s Town Square.

Parkston neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Parkston’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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Clear Lake1,327 people · $163K 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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