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Compare towns

Wagner vs Sisseton

189 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.1× in Sisseton) and growth since 2010 (+5.3 pts in Sisseton).

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Wagner, SDOne of the safest townsSouth Dakota · 1,529 people
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Sisseton, SDA regional job hubSouth Dakota · 2,670 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.

WagnerOne of the safest towns
SafetySafer than 5%of U.S. towns we grade Work1,047 jobsbased in Wagner, a regional job hub Health90% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Wagner →
SissetonA regional job hub
Work1,730 jobsbased in Sisseton, a regional job hub Health94% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 16%of SD districts All about Sisseton →
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 grid2.1×
Sisseton has the more walkable street grid
Sisseton 120Wagner 58.1
Growth since 2010+5.3 pts
Sisseton has grown faster since 2010
Sisseton +0.4%Wagner -4.9%
Work from home+4.8 pts
More people work from home in Sisseton
Sisseton 5.7%Wagner 0.9%
Work in town+8 pts
More of Sisseton’s workers stay in town
Sisseton 50.7%Wagner 42.7%
★ 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.

Safety
DWagnerSafer than 5% of U.S. towns B−SissetonSafer than 52% of U.S. towns
Schools
CWagnerBetter than 26% of districts in the state C−SissetonBetter than 16% of districts in the state
Health
DWagnerHealthier than 10% of U.S. towns DSissetonHealthier than 6% 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.

Wagner$850/mo
Typical home $136K (Census) · tax rate 1.18% · or rent about $684/mo · Housing →
Sisseton$720/mo
Typical home $109K (Census) · tax rate 1.60% · or rent about $596/mo · Housing →

The difference: $130 a month, about $1,500 a year, between Wagner and Sisseton.

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
WagnerSisseton
Snow a year31″48″
January low12°F5°F
July high87°F82°F
Growing season (days)165d151d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)43rd73rd
Outdoors & history
WagnerSisseton
Settled19001907
National Register places—4
Archive photos312
Famous people born here3—
Community
WagnerSisseton
Library hours a week38 hrs42 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

189 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WagnerSDSissetonSD
Wagner ↔ Sisseton189 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.

WagnerSisseton
People
Population 1,529Lowest 2,670Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.9%Lowest SD: +8.9% +0.4%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 34.3±5.1Highest 10% below SD 34.2±4Lowest 10% below SD
Wagner and Sisseton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29.8%±5Lowest SD: 24.2% 30.9%±4.4Highest SD: 24.2%
Sisseton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.6%±4Lowest SD: 18% 20%±2.6Highest SD: 18%
Sisseton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22.6%Highest SD: 31.9% 21.8%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.2%±1.4Lowest SD: 5% 2.5%±1.5Highest SD: 5%
Sisseton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $47,462±$6kLowest 37% below SD $48,875±$3kHighest 35% below SD
Sisseton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $136,000±$16kHighest 47% below SD $109,200±$23kLowest 58% below SD
Wagner and Sisseton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $684±$127Highest 28% below SD $596±$65Lowest 37% below SD
Wagner and Sisseton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,607Lowest 41% below SD $1,747Highest 36% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.9%±11.9Lowest SD: 39.8% 36.2%±12.1Highest SD: 39.8%
Sisseton and Wagner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 15.7%Lowest SD: 11.9% 18.7%Highest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 55.5%Highest SD: 68.6% 50.9%Lowest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1959 21 yrs older than SD 1959 21 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 12 minHighest 33% below SD 12 minLowest 34% below SD
Work from home 0.9%±1Lowest SD: 9.7% 5.7%±3.8Highest SD: 9.7%
Work in townworking residents 42.7%Lowest 50.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 5.8 miHighest 1.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.06Highest 1.62Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Dante (11%)Greendale Township (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SissetonFew work in Wagner
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
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 58.1Lowest 120Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#28 of 34 in SD
School district Wagner Community School District 11-4Sisseton School District 54-2
High school in town Wagner High School - 01Sisseton High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 11.7Lowest 14.8Highest
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.

Wagner neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wagner’s Town Square.

Sisseton neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 6d

Sisseton Feeling Like Home

1 neighbor in Sisseton can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Wagner and Sisseton

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Wagner

B
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Bryan Township341 people · $293K homes
L
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Lawrence Township501 people · $259K homes

Towns like Wagner

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Flandreau2,392 people · $150K homes
E
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Elkton977 people · $185K homes
G
+ Compare
Gregory1,379 people · $115K homes
F
+ Compare
Faulkton670 people · $100K 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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