Most Americans have never been to small town South Dakota. However, as the South Dakotan who live there know, small town South Dakota is an awesome place to call home.
But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, South Dakota has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using Saturday Night Science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Mount Rushmore State. Don’t freak out, we will use data to show which places have high crime, poverty, and unemployment.
After analyzing more than 59 of South Dakota’s smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in South Dakota where you’d never want to live:
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the worst small towns in South Dakota for 2024:
- Porcupine
- Oglala
- Rosebud
- North Eagle Butte
- Kyle
- Fort Thompson
- Pine Ridge
- Eagle Butte
- Mission
- Lemmon
So what is the worst small town to call home in South Dakota for 2024? According to the most recent census data, Porcupine is the worst small town to live in South Dakota.
While many of these small towns have seen better days, they have wonderful communities and people. This report in no way means to knock the folks that call towns like Porcupine home. Everyone
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.
And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in South Dakota or the worst places to live in South Dakota.
If you’re looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.
The 10 Worst Small Towns In South Dakota For 2024
1. Porcupine
/10
Population: 1,021
Median Home Value: $0
Median Income: $18,750
Unemployment Rate: 35.1%
2. Oglala
/10
Population: 1,440
Median Home Value: $56,632
Median Income: $31,042
Unemployment Rate: 21.0%
3. Rosebud
/10
Population: 2,155
Median Home Value: $62,509
Median Income: $47,813
Unemployment Rate: 19.8%
4. North Eagle Butte
/10
Population: 1,666
Median Home Value: $69,054
Median Income: $39,224
Unemployment Rate: 22.7%
5. Kyle
Population: 1,504
Median Home Value: $13,355
Median Income: $1,000
Unemployment Rate: 8.4%
6. Fort Thompson
/10
Population: 1,157
Median Home Value: $156,675
Median Income: $27,813
Unemployment Rate: 19.0%
7. Pine Ridge
/10
Population: 2,921
Median Home Value: $73,462
Median Income: $47,620
Unemployment Rate: 7.9%
8. Eagle Butte
/10
Population: 1,396
Median Home Value: $71,993
Median Income: $40,556
Unemployment Rate: 37.6%
9. Mission
/10
Population: 1,256
Median Home Value: $72,527
Median Income: $36,607
Unemployment Rate: 17.4%
10. Lemmon
/10
Population: 1,118
Median Home Value: $88,746
Median Income: $38,125
Unemployment Rate: 5.7%
Methodology: How do you decide if a small place in South Dakota is lousy or not?
To rank the worst small towns to live in South Dakota, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. Assuming that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy isn’t a stretch.
We then analyzed the criteria using Saturday Night Science, the thinking you’d use at a bar. It seems like even your crazy Uncle would agree that a town with high crime is worse than a town with low crime; all else the same.
Using FBI crime data and the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (The lower, the worse)
- Highest Unemployment Rates
- Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
- Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
- Education (Number of high school dropouts)
- High Crime
We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which there were many – 59 to be exact.
We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets them from the cities. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.
We base all our research on facts, which is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2024, which is our tenth time ranking the worst small places to live in South Dakota.
There You Have It – The Worst Small Towns In South Dakota
If you’re analyzing teeny places in the Mount Rushmore State with the worst economic situations, where there’s high crime and there’s not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The worst small towns in South Dakota are Porcupine, Oglala, Rosebud, North Eagle Butte, Kyle, Fort Thompson, Pine Ridge, Eagle Butte, Mission, and Lemmon.
If you’re curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in South Dakota, according to science:
- Crooks (Pop. 1,463)
- Dakota Dunes (Pop. 3,997)
- Baltic (Pop. 1,440)
For more South Dakota reading, check out:
Worst Small Towns In South Dakota
| Rank | Town | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porcupine | 1,021 | 35.1% | $0 | $18,750 |
| 2 | Oglala | 1,440 | 21.0% | $56,632 | $31,042 |
| 3 | Rosebud | 2,155 | 19.8% | $62,509 | $47,813 |
| 4 | North Eagle Butte | 1,666 | 22.7% | $69,054 | $39,224 |
| 5 | Kyle | 1,504 | 8.4% | $13,355 | $1,000 |
| 6 | Fort Thompson | 1,157 | 19.0% | $156,675 | $27,813 |
| 7 | Pine Ridge | 2,921 | 7.9% | $73,462 | $47,620 |
| 8 | Eagle Butte | 1,396 | 37.6% | $71,993 | $40,556 |
| 9 | Mission | 1,256 | 17.4% | $72,527 | $36,607 |
| 10 | Lemmon | 1,118 | 5.7% | $88,746 | $38,125 |
| 11 | Sisseton | 2,564 | 7.2% | $136,506 | $40,100 |
| 12 | Ashland Heights | 1,215 | 28.8% | $238,284 | $59,186 |
| 13 | Wagner | 1,621 | 8.1% | $168,696 | $52,333 |
| 14 | Winner | 2,905 | 8.7% | $194,481 | $52,500 |
| 15 | Gregory | 1,393 | 3.1% | $144,787 | $46,071 |
| 16 | Tyndall | 1,047 | 3.1% | $126,221 | $46,471 |
| 17 | Chamberlain | 2,538 | 3.5% | $208,864 | $59,375 |
| 18 | Hot Springs | 3,465 | 3.1% | $297,368 | $47,337 |
| 19 | Clark | 1,206 | 4.3% | $160,020 | $47,305 |
| 20 | Flandreau | 2,246 | 2.2% | $184,387 | $54,821 |
| 21 | Deadwood | 1,423 | 4.6% | $413,358 | $50,478 |
| 22 | Mobridge | 3,130 | 1.4% | $128,702 | $54,868 |
| 23 | Webster | 1,805 | 1.3% | $183,863 | $50,500 |
| 24 | Blackhawk | 2,930 | 6.4% | $303,449 | $68,718 |
| 25 | Gettysburg | 1,440 | 2.6% | $136,492 | $66,094 |
| 26 | Canton | 3,060 | 5.6% | $269,665 | $71,064 |
| 27 | Springfield | 2,216 | 4.5% | $180,408 | $55,139 |
| 28 | Custer | 2,043 | 4.1% | $436,701 | $66,141 |
| 29 | Freeman | 1,580 | 2.6% | $204,139 | $61,719 |
| 30 | Beresford | 2,419 | 4.9% | $265,826 | $71,343 |
| 31 | North Sioux City | 2,984 | 5.2% | $396,126 | $62,284 |
| 32 | Redfield | 2,253 | 2.8% | $141,554 | $56,205 |
| 33 | Milbank | 3,506 | 4.0% | $180,583 | $63,269 |
| 34 | Garretson | 1,259 | 6.6% | $247,867 | $65,474 |
| 35 | Clear Lake | 1,310 | 0.7% | $209,434 | $62,981 |
| 36 | Ipswich | 1,170 | 1.4% | $206,629 | $81,406 |
| 37 | Piedmont | 1,198 | 0.5% | $365,975 | $51,767 |
| 38 | Green Valley | 1,353 | 0.0% | $339,395 | $87,955 |
| 39 | Parker | 1,111 | 4.6% | $317,928 | $83,864 |
| 40 | Platte | 1,299 | 0.7% | $260,189 | $61,923 |
| 41 | Salem | 1,163 | 0.0% | $221,115 | $69,228 |
| 42 | Miller | 1,293 | 0.0% | $175,445 | $59,063 |
| 43 | Lennox | 2,603 | 0.0% | $283,904 | $64,663 |
| 44 | Lead | 2,993 | 0.0% | $337,837 | $54,555 |
| 45 | Elk Point | 2,177 | 2.4% | $255,272 | $80,500 |
| 46 | North Spearfish | 1,791 | 1.1% | $349,012 | $67,736 |
| 47 | Parkston | 2,003 | 2.0% | $208,021 | $70,982 |
| 48 | Britton | 1,108 | 1.0% | $198,979 | $69,375 |
| 49 | Colonial Pine Hills | 2,346 | 7.6% | $436,098 | $79,702 |
| 50 | Summerset | 2,950 | 1.9% | $395,362 | $98,194 |
| 51 | Fort Pierre | 2,522 | 0.2% | $314,973 | $81,150 |
| 52 | Groton | 1,688 | 0.8% | $216,822 | $82,841 |
| 53 | Hartford | 3,340 | 2.9% | $387,714 | $93,762 |
| 54 | Volga | 2,043 | 1.1% | $289,554 | $66,285 |
| 55 | Dell Rapids | 3,953 | 1.3% | $340,437 | $88,958 |
| 56 | Aurora | 1,429 | 0.3% | $262,677 | $87,273 |
| 57 | Crooks | 1,463 | 2.0% | $336,819 | $113,917 |
| 58 | Dakota Dunes | 3,997 | 0.8% | $583,958 | $127,692 |
| 59 | Baltic | 1,440 | 1.2% | $349,931 | $94,167 |
You forgot Fruitdale SD. Population is about 50 people if we are lucky. It’s 10 miles outside of belle fourche on Highway 212. Lots of crime. Low house costs. Low income. But it’s a town.
Can’t believe Eureka was so low on the list – 2 lakes for fishing, water skiing, and jet skiing, golf course, bowling alley, 2 softball fields, tennis courts, nice park, 6 churches, hospital, dentist, chiropractor, museum, fitness center….
I would live and die in any of these fine cities. Gary is my home. At least this rating will keep the rif raf away.
Luv small town life
Keep the Crowds away
Luv my Rez Luv my Town
Shhhhh dont tell people what its like here especially new York and california.
Where does Edgemont rank and Box Elder?
I’ve been seeing this go around. I have some personal thoughts. The first thing I seen was “using science and data,” the second thing I noticed is that they are all reservation areas, and finally the word choice being “the Mount Rushmore state.” SO to me that all just looks like self-serving data done on the outside of tribes. This “research,” is similar to the two studies (ASU & Havasupai lawsuit-research study & Barrow alcohol study) that were used to demoralize Indigenous Peoples and led to tribally own research data because of the research stigma between tribes and outside institutions/universities. Hmmm… Also “data,” does not include the beautiful culture and values of these communities, which is a colonized concept of deeming something unworthy (in this case, the smallest worst towns in SD). Like I said, self-serving, creating these unworthy notions about these places. Interesting how America made reservations as a place not intended to prosper and yet individuals share “science and data,” on this, but forget to add in the historical aspect of genocide and colonization. These are my thoughts. Oh! Also, the word choice on Mount Rushmore state, in which the black hills are sacred to the Oceti Sakowin and was taken from us because of gold and tourism, as a means to be materialistic and make a profit. Hmmm…I think they should redo it and make their platform more useful by covering the beauty of our people, culture, language, and RESILIENCY.
Maybe instead of demeaning reservation towns with “unbiased” statistics, we actually begin to understand the reasons these places aren’t up to your privileged standards. Please next time understand the context of the areas you’re putting down. The reservation towns are rich in culture and rich in beauty..something that most do not understand. These are resilient communities with loving, generous individuals, and if you cannot see that, that is your own problem.
Racist, much?
This is very sad. I would suggest you check out these communities. You will discover several things:
1. Most are on or near a Native Indian Reservations. The Natives, historically, were given no choice on where they an go. To leave, it takes money. To get money, it takes jobs. There are no jobs in many of these communities.
2. Geographically, they are not near anything major. Again, they were not given choices (read #1)
3. Some of the best people I know either live there or were from there.
What you are doing is socially unacceptable. Go there, visit, experience, then talk about the worst places to live. I can tell a lot worst places than some on that list.