Signals
Garden City
Watertown
Growth
67 · Top 24%
vs89 · Top 1%
Climate
60 · Bottom 25%
vs51 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
35 · Bottom 24%
vs60 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs97 · Top 41%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs34 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
82 · Top 11%
vs89 · Top 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Garden City | Watertown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,084 | 28,767 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,009 | $72,727 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,062 | $39,825 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 29/sq mi | 42/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $201,400 | $237,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,048 | $938 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.9% | 69.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 8.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 150 | 287 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 10.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 476.9% | 96.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 3°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.9" | 22.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 183 mi | 98 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.2 min | 15.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.9 | 40.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Garden City
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, cold wave.
Watertown
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Garden City
57
Your Score
—
Area Score
Watertown
70
Your Score
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Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Garden City, KS Micro Area · Watertown, SD Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology