Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Webster vs Canton

148 miles apart. The biggest differences: work in town (+24.7 pts in Webster) and property tax bill (+45% in Canton).

×
Webster, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 1,896 people
×
Canton, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 3,033 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.

WebsterKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 80%of SD districts Housing$235K typical home27% below the SD typical home History7 historic places7 places on the National Register All about Webster →
CantonKnown for its schools
Schools#6 for schools in SDof 34 towns Housing$305K typical home5% below the SD typical home HealthHealthier than 60%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Canton →
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.

Work in town+24.7 pts
More of Webster’s workers stay in town
Webster 43.8%Canton 19.1%
Property tax bill+45%
Tax bills are bigger in Canton
Canton $2,434Webster $1,683
Growth since 2010+8.7 pts
Canton has grown faster since 2010
Canton +0.3%Webster -8.4%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $480 more a month in Canton

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.

Webster$1,440/mo
Typical home $235K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.09% · or rent about $653/mo · Housing →
Canton$1,920/mo
Typical home $305K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.27% · or rent about $673/mo · Housing →

The difference: $480 a month, about $5,800 a year, between Canton and Webster.

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
A−WebsterBetter than 80% of districts in the state A−CantonBetter than 79% of districts in the state
Health
BWebsterHealthier than 58% of U.S. towns BCantonHealthier than 60% 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
WebsterCanton
Snow a year43″36″
January low2°F6°F
July high81°F83°F
Growing season (days)156d151d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)23rd71st
Outdoors & history
WebsterCanton
Trails2 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%1.3%
National Register places713
Community
WebsterCanton
Library hours a week28 hrs45 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

148 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WebsterSDCantonSD
Webster ↔ Canton148 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.

WebsterCanton
People
Population 1,896Lowest 3,033Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8.4%Lowest SD: +8.9% +0.3%Highest SD: +8.9%
Median age 40.5±2.9Lowest 7% above SD 42.2±11.9Highest 11% above SD
Canton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.2%±3.8Lowest SD: 24.2% 22.9%±6.2Highest SD: 24.2%
Canton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.9%±3.4Lowest SD: 18% 25.9%±6.2Highest SD: 18%
Canton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.7%Highest SD: 31.9% 16.9%Lowest SD: 31.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.6%±2.1Highest SD: 5% 1%±1.2Lowest SD: 5%
Webster and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $55,179±$7kLowest 27% below SD $60,850±$10kHighest 19% below SD
Canton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $154,100±$34kLowest 40% below SD $191,400±$11kHighest 26% below SD
Canton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $653±$46Lowest 31% below SD $673±$109Highest 29% below SD
Canton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,683Lowest 38% below SD $2,434Highest 11% below SD
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 33.6%±14.4Lowest SD: 39.8% 35.9%±17Highest SD: 39.8%
Canton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 15.1%Highest SD: 11.9% 8.1%Lowest SD: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 66.8%Lowest SD: 68.6% 68.1%Highest SD: 68.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1963Highest 17 yrs older than SD 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than SD
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 8% above SD 20 minHighest 12% above SD
Work from home 6.7%±6Lowest SD: 9.7% 9.3%±8.2Highest SD: 9.7%
Canton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 43.8%Highest 19.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 1.3 miLowest 16.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.04Highest 0.72Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Webster Township (9%)Sioux Falls (43%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CantonFew work in Webster
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.6 miHighest 1.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 6Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 80.6Highest 61.0Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#6 of 34 in SD
School district Webster Area School District 18-5Canton School District 41-1
High school in town Webster Area High School - 01Canton High School - 01
Students per teacherat that high school 13.6Lowest 14.9Highest
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.

Webster neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Webster’s Town Square.

Canton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Canton’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Webster and Canton

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

Bordering Webster

+ Compare
Webster Township280 people · $241K homes
R
+ Compare
Rusk Township65 people · $260K homes

Towns like Webster

G
+ Compare
Gregory1,379 people · $115K homes
M
+ Compare
Miller1,363 people · $155K homes
P
+ Compare
Parkston1,874 people · $157K homes
+ Compare
Salem1,216 people · $167K 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.

Post to Webster

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in