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St. Francis vs Veblen

259 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (27.4× in St. Francis) and property tax bill (3× in Veblen).

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St. Francis, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 593 people

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Veblen, SDHomes around $196KSouth Dakota · 455 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.

St. FrancisKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 4%of SD districts Work442 jobsbased in St. Francis, a regional job hub All about St. Francis →

VeblenHomes around $196K

Housing$196K typical home39% below the SD typical home All about Veblen →

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.

Jobs per worker27.4×

St. Francis is more of a job hub

St. Francis 6.31Veblen 0.23

Property tax bill3×

Tax bills are bigger in Veblen

Veblen $590St. Francis $199

Work in town+23.9 pts

More of St. Francis’s workers stay in town

St. Francis 25.7%Veblen 1.8%

Growth since 2010+6.4 pts

St. Francis has grown faster since 2010

St. Francis -33.9%Veblen -40.3%

★ 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

D−St. FrancisBetter than 4% of districts in the state –VeblenNot graded

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

St. FrancisVeblen

Snow a year41″48″

January low11°F 3°F

July high87°F 82°F

Growing season (days)145d 160d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)63rd 22nd

Outdoors & history

St. FrancisVeblen

Settled—1900

National Register places1 —

Archive photos3 —

Community

St. FrancisVeblen

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

259 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

St. FrancisSD VeblenSD

St. Francis ↔ Veblen259 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

St. FrancisVeblen

People

Population 593Highest 455Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -33.9%Highest SD: +8.9% -40.3%Lowest SD: +8.9%

Median age 24.8±9.6Lowest 35% below SD 27.3±7.4Highest 28% below SD

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

Kids under 18 42%±22.5Lowest SD: 24.2% 43.1%±8.8Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 5.7%±3.5Lowest SD: 18% 12.7%±5.1Highest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24.4%Lowest SD: 31.9% 26.5%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.2%±4.9Lowest SD: 5% 4.4%±4Highest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $42,083±$21kLowest 44% below SD $64,167±$8kHighest 15% below SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied — $43,700±$12k 83% below SD

Rentmedian gross, monthly $567±$165Lowest 40% below SD $713±$47Highest 25% below SD

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $199Lowest 93% below SD $590Highest 78% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 16.2%±24.4Lowest SD: 39.8% 16.3%±24.3Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 34.1%Highest SD: 11.9% 14.1%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 49.4%Lowest SD: 68.6% 56.3%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1977Highest 3 yrs older than SD 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 16 minLowest 12% below SD 16 minHighest 9% below SD

Work from home 4.9%±6.2Highest SD: 9.7% 0%±6.5Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 25.7%Highest 1.8%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 2.8 miLowest 22.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 6.31Highest 0.23Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Two Strike (31%)Veblen Township (25%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in VeblenFew work in St. Francis

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 102Lowest 138Highest

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.

St. Francis neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to St. Francis’s Town Square.

Veblen neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Veblen’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside St. Francis and Veblen

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Towns like St. Francis

Mount Vernon442 people · $164K homes

Lawrence Township245 people · $54K homes

Timber Lake779 people · $81K homes

Eagle Butte1,458 people · $66K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks South Dakota towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.