Compare towns

Yankton vs Pierre

179 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+24% in Pierre) and trails (+60% in Pierre).

Yankton, SDA history townSouth Dakota · 15,540 people

Pierre, SDA history townSouth Dakota · 13,948 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.

YanktonA history town

HistorySettled in 185824 places on the National Register Schools#12 for schools in SDof 34 towns HealthHealthier than 65%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Yankton →

PierreA history town

HistorySettled in 188032 places on the National Register

Outdoors#7 most trails in SD13 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 78%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Pierre →

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.

Rent+24%

Rent runs higher in Pierre

Pierre $983Yankton $790

Trails+60%

Pierre has more miles of trail

Pierre 13.4 miYankton 8.4 mi

★ 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%

Yankton$1,710/mo

Typical home $276K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $790/mo · Housing →

Pierre$1,860/mo

Typical home $300K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.14% · or rent about $983/mo · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,800 a year, between Pierre and Yankton.

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

Yankton places higher on 12 of 22 SD lists

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

CYanktonSafer than 28% of U.S. towns C−PierreSafer than 16% of U.S. towns

Schools

B+YanktonBetter than 70% of districts in the state B+PierreBetter than 67% of districts in the state

Health

B+YanktonHealthier than 65% of U.S. towns A−PierreHealthier than 78% of U.S. towns

12Yankton

8Pierre

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest obesityHealth · 37 towns #35#12 Cheapest rentCost of living · 34 towns #8#22 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 37 towns #20#5 Highest graduation rateSchools · 33 towns #3#15 Most new homesHousing · 31 towns #10#21 Most walkableOutdoors · 37 towns #11#22 Most educatedPeople · 37 towns #19#10 Highest incomeIncome · 37 towns #22#13

Left end = #1 in South Dakota. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Yankton’s rankings →

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

YanktonPierre

Snow a year38″37″

January low10°F 9°F

July high87°F 88°F

Growing season (days)164d 148d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)55th 60th

Outdoors & history

YanktonPierre

Trails8 mi 13 mi

Conserved land4.4%7%

Settled1858 1880

National Register places24 32

Community

YanktonPierre

Library hours a week60 hrs 63 hrs

Colleges in town1 —

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

179 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

YanktonSD PierreSD

Yankton ↔ Pierre179 miles apart

Who commutes between them

40 Yankton residents work in Pierre (0.5% of its workers)

33 Pierre residents work in Yankton (0.5% of its workers)

Work & commute in Yankton →

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

YanktonPierre

People

Population 15,540Highest 13,948Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.6%Highest SD: +8.9% +3.3%Lowest SD: +8.9%

Median age 41.4±1.7Highest 9% above SD 39.4±1.5Lowest 4% above SD

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

Kids under 18 21.2%±2.2Lowest SD: 24.2% 22.9%±2.3Highest SD: 24.2%

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

Age 65+ 22%±2.7Highest SD: 18% 18.2%±2.3Lowest SD: 18%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 33.2%Lowest SD: 31.9% 39%Highest SD: 31.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.5%±1.2Highest SD: 5% 3.8%±1.5Lowest SD: 5%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $67,804±$10kLowest 10% below SD $77,672±$7kHighest 3% above SD

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $222,700±$17kLowest 13% below SD $230,700±$14kHighest 10% below SD

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $790±$61Lowest 16% below SD $983±$90Highest 4% above SD

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,507Lowest 8% below SD $2,632Highest 3% below SD

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 36%±8.3Lowest SD: 39.8% 37.3%±9.6Highest SD: 39.8%

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

Below poverty line 14.1%Highest SD: 11.9% 10.1%Lowest SD: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 66.3%Lowest SD: 68.6% 68.6%Highest SD: 68.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1976 4 yrs older than SD 1976 4 yrs older than SD

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 13 min 25% below SD 13 min 25% below SD

Work from home 5.5%±2.7Highest SD: 9.7% 4.2%±2.6Lowest SD: 9.7%

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

Work in townworking residents 61.2%Lowest 65.4%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 1.8 mi 1.8 mi

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.32Lowest 1.39Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (9%)Fort Pierre (6%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others 1% work in Pierre1% work in Yankton

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.4%Lowest 7%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 8.4 miLowest 13.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miLowest 1.0 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Highest 4Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 66.6Highest 53.8Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #12 of 34 in SD #14 of 34 in SD

School district Yankton School District 63-3Pierre School District 32-2 · Pierre Indian Learning Center

High school in town Yankton High School - 01T F Riggs High School - 01

Students per teacherat that high school 18.0Highest 17.7Lowest

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.

Yankton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Yankton’s Town Square.

Pierre neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pierre’s Town Square.

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Bordering Yankton

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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.

Yankton vs Pierre

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs about the same each month

Yankton places higher on 12 of 22 SD lists

What daily life feels like in each

179 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Yankton and Pierre

Bordering Yankton

Towns like Yankton

Post to Yankton

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