"Hail! South Dakota, A great state of the land, Health, wealth and beauty, That's what makes her grand." (-South Dakota State song, "Hail, South Dakota")
Known as the home of the World's Only Corn Palace, Mitchell is a city that still plays a role in American landscape, even in these modern times. Known to attract people who need a break from the city grind or just a simple change of pace, Mitchell was voted in 2011 as South Dakota's Community of the Year. But don't think that it's just some sleepy bumpkin town--residents and visitors stay busy and active, spending time fishing, hunting, and playing outdoor sports year-round.
If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you'll love this: Entrepreneur magazine named Mitchell as one of the top entrepreneurial communities
"Hail! South Dakota, A great state of the land, Health, wealth and beauty, That's what makes her grand." (-South Dakota State song, "Hail, South Dakota")
Known as the home of the World's Only Corn Palace, Mitchell is a city that still plays a role in American landscape, even in these modern times. Known to attract people who need a break from the city grind or just a simple change of pace, Mitchell was voted in 2011 as South Dakota's Community of the Year. But don't think that it's just some sleepy bumpkin town--residents and visitors stay busy and active, spending time fishing, hunting, and playing outdoor sports year-round.
If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you'll love this: Entrepreneur magazine named Mitchell as one of the top entrepreneurial communities. It's a great place to find success in their bustling service, communications, and manufacturing industries. You'll also be in high demand if you work in the welding, industrial, or driving industries, or operate heavy machinery: lots of global manufacturers looking for these types of skills call Mitchell home. Mitchell's economy is also very welcoming to anyone who works as a teacher or medical professional. Besides being part of a thriving economy, the best part of working in Mitchell is that you won't have to deal with a lot of traffic or long commutes to work--the average one-way commute time is only 13 minutes.
When you search for apartments, you might wonder if some of the listings are missing a zero or two--the price to rent an apartment here is a lot cheaper than most cities. There's no shortage of two bedroom apartments in Mitchell, with three bedrooms being the second most abundant, and a smattering of studio apartments, though these are a harder gem to find. There's just not a great demand for studio apartments in Mitchell, so finding one that's available for rent is a big ask. According to Area Vibes, the cost of living in Mitchell is a lot less than in other areas of South Dakota and the United States. Setting up shop (so to speak) in this city will cost you 9 percent less than the state average, and 10.4 percent less than the national average.
Sometimes deciding on a specific neighborhood in a city can be tricky, especially if you're new to that area. Here's a primer on the major neighborhoods in Mitchell, with basic descriptions and a dollar sign symbol to indicate average rent price. Let's explore!
N Foster St / N Ridge Rd: This neighborhood is considered one of the best for those seeking quality retirement living. It has many different housing choices and is a very peaceful and quiet neighborhood. In South Dakota, it was rated in the top 9.5 percentile for best places for retirees to live. $$$
Dakota Wesleyan U / W Havens St: This is a college-student friendly neighborhood, and it's pretty easy to walk anywhere you need to go. Which is good, since it's also a notably safe neighborhood to live in. $$$$$
Mount Vernon / Ethan: If you fall closer to the hermit end of the spectrum than the social butterfly end, this might be the spot for you. It's full of open space and is a pretty rural area with little traffic. According to Neighborhood Scout, this neighborhood has fewer people in it than 97.7 percent of all neighborhoods in the US. You'll have all the space you need here. $
City Center: This neighborhood has a nice mixture of all people. It has single, young, educated professionals, as well as families with children and retirees. It's a hip and trendy neighborhood, with great walkability. $$$
If you're moving to Mitchell, prepare yourself for its typically-Midwest climate: that is, very humid. Winters in Mitchell tend to be harsh and snowy at times, with average temperatures in December (the coldest month here) dipping down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. But the weather can be a tad unpredictable, as December temps have been known to rise all the way up to a balmy 61 degrees and and drop down to a bone-chilling -12!
Summers can be brutal, with July temps reaching a record of 109 degrees (although the average temperature during Mitchell's hottest month is usually 76 degrees). Ever unpredictable, though, July temps have been recorded as dropping down to as low as 48 degrees. To paint the picture with a broader brush here: the average daytime temperature in the summer is 86 degrees, and the summer nighttime average is 62; the average winter daytime temperature is 26 degrees, while the average for nighttime is 4 degrees. Thunderstorms also crop up in Mitchell a lot. It's located in the heart of Tornado Alley (so make sure Toto is inside if you see a storm a-brewin'!) and sees much of its rain in the summer month of June.
Mitchell is a major tourism city, attracting more than 500,000 people per year. People come from all over to experience the dining, shopping, outdoor activities, events, and other attractions like the Prehistoric Indian Village, the World's Only Corn Palace, the McGovern Legacy Museum, the Dakota Discovery Museum, and the Carnegie Resource Center. As a Mitchell resident, you'll have the best of both worlds: quirky and educational attractions, plus very affordable housing.
