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White River vs Colome

56 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+77% in White River) and work in town (+22.4 pts in White River).

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White River, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 606 people

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Colome, SDKnown for its schoolsSouth Dakota · 338 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.

White RiverKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 2%of SD districts Work212 jobsbased in White River, a regional job hub All about White River →

ColomeKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 18%of SD districts All about Colome →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Rent runs higher in White River

White River $1,125Colome $637

Work in town+22.4 pts

More of White River’s workers stay in town

White River 27.4%Colome 5%

Property tax bill+25%

Tax bills are bigger in Colome

Colome $1,155White River $924

Jobs per worker+73%

White River is more of a job hub

White River 1.57Colome 0.91

Street grid+44%

Colome has the more walkable street grid

Colome 164White River 114

Typical home built13 yrs

White River’s homes are older

Colome 1978White River 1965

★ What stands out · 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.

Down paymentRate%

White River$470/mo

Typical home $75K (Census) · tax rate 1.23% · or rent about $1,125/mo · Housing →

Colome$420/mo

Typical home $62K (Census) · tax rate 1.85% · or rent about $637/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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

D−White RiverBetter than 2% of districts in the state C−ColomeBetter than 18% of districts in the state

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

White RiverColome

Snow a year40″49″

January low12°F 13°F

July high90°F 90°F

Growing season (days)151d 159d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)55th 69th

Outdoors & history

White RiverColome

Trails1 mi —

Conserved land0%—

Settled1912 —

National Register places1 —

Community

White RiverColome

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

56 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

White RiverSD ColomeSD

White River ↔ Colome56 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

White RiverColome

People

Population 606Highest 338Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8.3% SD: +8.9% —

Median age 37.5±3.5Highest about the SD average 33.5±16Lowest 12% below SD

White River and Colome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 29.4%±4.9Highest SD: 24.2% 23.1%±10.8Lowest SD: 24.2%

White River and Colome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 19.8%±5.7Highest SD: 18% 17.5%±6.6Lowest SD: 18%

White River and Colome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.3%Lowest SD: 31.9% 15.5%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.6%±4.9Highest SD: 5% 0%±4.2Lowest SD: 5%

White River and Colome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $82,692±$65kHighest 10% above SD $51,000±$19kLowest 32% below SD

White River and Colome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $75,000±$36kHighest 71% below SD $62,300±$12kLowest 76% below SD

White River and Colome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,125±$286Highest 19% above SD $637±$172Lowest 33% below SD

Property taxmedian, yearly $924Lowest 66% below SD $1,155Highest 58% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 9.3%±20.1Lowest SD: 39.8% 50.7%±33.4Highest SD: 39.8%

Colome and White River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 35.7%Highest SD: 11.9% 28.9%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 51.1%Highest SD: 68.6% 43%Lowest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than SD 1978Highest 2 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minLowest about the SD average 18 minHighest about the SD average

Work from home 2%±2.7 SD: 9.7% 2%±3.3 SD: 9.7%

Work in townworking residents 27.4%Highest 5%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miHighest 17.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.57Highest 0.91Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Rapid City (10%)Winner (31%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ColomeFew work in White River

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 114Lowest 164Highest

Schools

School district White River School District 47-1Colome School District 59-3

High school in town White River High School - 01Colome High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school 9.3Highest 5.4Lowest

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.

White River neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to White River’s Town Square.

Colome neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colome’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like White River

Faulkton670 people · $100K homes

Dupree557 people · $66K homes

Bowdle475 people · $113K homes

Hayti444 people · $123K 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.