The 21 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in South Dakota

Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 132 towns of 500–10,000 people in South Dakota, scoring every town on all of these at once. #1 is Tripp, SD.

Numbers match the ranking.

21Canistota, South Dakota

Retirement: 56th percentile · Quiet: 73rd percentile · Home value ÷ income: 83rd percentile

Canistota is a city of 631 people in McCook County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $137,000 against household income of $76,250; January lows average 5°F.

631 people · McCook County · median home $137,000 · income $76,250 · Jan low 5°F · 31 in snow

Full Canistota, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
20Colton, South Dakota

Retirement: 73rd percentile · Quiet: 76th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 65th percentile

Colton is a city of 738 people in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $192,900 against household income of $83,750; January lows average 7°F.

738 people · Minnehaha County · median home $192,900 · income $83,750 · Jan low 7°F · 40 in snow

Full Colton, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
19Arlington, South Dakota

Retirement: 76th percentile · Quiet: 62nd percentile · Home value ÷ income: 77th percentile

Arlington is a city of 915 people in Kingsbury County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $144,300 against household income of $71,296; January lows average 5°F.

915 people · Kingsbury County · median home $144,300 · income $71,296 · Jan low 5°F · 39 in snow

Full Arlington, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
18Wessington Springs, South Dakota

Retirement: 58th percentile · Quiet: 96th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 63rd percentile

Wessington Springs is a city of 771 people in Jerauld County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $111,300 against household income of $47,321; January lows average 7°F.

771 people · Jerauld County · median home $111,300 · income $47,321 · Jan low 7°F · 45 in snow

Full Wessington Springs, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
17Platte, South Dakota

Retirement: 92nd percentile · Quiet: 66th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 59th percentile

Platte is a city of 1,296 people in Charles Mix County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $179,200 against household income of $72,700; January lows average 11°F.

1,296 people · Charles Mix County · median home $179,200 · income $72,700 · Jan low 11°F · 46 in snow

Full Platte, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
16Springfield, South Dakota

Retirement: 71st percentile · Quiet: 77th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 74th percentile

Springfield is a city of 1,914 people in Bon Homme County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $118,500 against household income of $55,714; January lows average 9°F.

1,914 people · Bon Homme County · median home $118,500 · income $55,714 · Jan low 9°F · 37 in snow

Full Springfield, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
15Selby, South Dakota

Retirement: 72nd percentile · Quiet: 81st percentile · Home value ÷ income: 74th percentile

Selby is a city of 610 people in Walworth County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $105,700 against household income of $49,205; January lows average 4°F.

610 people · Walworth County · median home $105,700 · income $49,205 · Jan low 4°F · 33 in snow

Full Selby, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
14Armour, South Dakota

Retirement: 65th percentile · Quiet: 67th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 95th percentile

Armour is a city of 698 people in Douglas County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $105,500 against household income of $81,917; January lows average 10°F.

698 people · Douglas County · median home $105,500 · income $81,917 · Jan low 10°F · 34 in snow

Full Armour, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
13De Smet, South Dakota

Retirement: 83rd percentile · Quiet: 86th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 59th percentile

De Smet is a city of 1,056 people in Kingsbury County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $165,200 against household income of $67,321; January lows average 5°F.

1,056 people · Kingsbury County · median home $165,200 · income $67,321 · Jan low 5°F · 41 in snow

Full De Smet, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
12Lemmon, South Dakota

Retirement: 78th percentile · Quiet: 69th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 87th percentile

Lemmon is a city of 1,160 people in Perkins County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $86,200 against household income of $50,147; January lows average 9°F.

1,160 people · Perkins County · median home $86,200 · income $50,147 · Jan low 9°F · 42 in snow

Full Lemmon, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
11Avon, South Dakota

Retirement: 71st percentile · Quiet: 77th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 87th percentile

Avon is a city of 586 people in Bon Homme County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $107,600 against household income of $62,361; January lows average 9°F.

586 people · Bon Homme County · median home $107,600 · income $62,361 · Jan low 9°F · 36 in snow

Full Avon, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
10Onida, South Dakota

Retirement: 85th percentile · Quiet: 99th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 54th percentile

Onida is a city of 666 people in Sully County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $178,600 against household income of $70,000; January lows average 7°F.

666 people · Sully County · median home $178,600 · income $70,000 · Jan low 7°F · 49 in snow

Full Onida, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
9Ipswich, South Dakota

Retirement: 86th percentile · Quiet: 87th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 70th percentile

Ipswich is a city of 928 people in Edmunds County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $164,700 against household income of $74,167; January lows average 3°F.

928 people · Edmunds County · median home $164,700 · income $74,167 · Jan low 3°F · 34 in snow

Full Ipswich, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
8Gettysburg, South Dakota

Retirement: 92nd percentile · Quiet: 74th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 77th percentile

Gettysburg is a city of 1,104 people in Potter County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $125,000 against household income of $63,929; January lows average 5°F.

1,104 people · Potter County · median home $125,000 · income $63,929 · Jan low 5°F · 39 in snow

Full Gettysburg, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
7Edgemont, South Dakota

Retirement: 61st percentile · Quiet: 97th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 89th percentile

Edgemont is a city of 725 people in Fall River County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $103,000 against household income of $62,692; January lows average 4°F.

725 people · Fall River County · median home $103,000 · income $62,692 · Jan low 4°F · 36 in snow

Full Edgemont, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
6Faulkton, South Dakota

Retirement: 85th percentile · Quiet: 82nd percentile · Home value ÷ income: 89th percentile

Faulkton is a city of 826 people in Faulk County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $99,600 against household income of $63,750; January lows average 4°F.

826 people · Faulk County · median home $99,600 · income $63,750 · Jan low 4°F · 44 in snow

Full Faulkton, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
5Eureka, South Dakota

Retirement: 80th percentile · Quiet: 92nd percentile · Home value ÷ income: 89th percentile

Eureka is a city of 813 people in McPherson County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $78,200 against household income of $47,583; January lows average 2°F.

813 people · McPherson County · median home $78,200 · income $47,583 · Jan low 2°F · 44 in snow

Full Eureka, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
4Highmore, South Dakota

Retirement: 84th percentile · Quiet: 88th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 92nd percentile

Highmore is a city of 682 people in Hyde County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $151,800 against household income of $103,017; January lows average 7°F.

682 people · Hyde County · median home $151,800 · income $103,017 · Jan low 7°F · 40 in snow

Full Highmore, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
3Tyndall, South Dakota

Retirement: 98th percentile · Quiet: 94th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 77th percentile

Tyndall is a city of 1,057 people in Bon Homme County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $101,500 against household income of $50,481; January lows average 9°F.

1,057 people · Bon Homme County · median home $101,500 · income $50,481 · Jan low 9°F · 37 in snow

Full Tyndall, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
2Scotland, South Dakota

Retirement: 98th percentile · Quiet: 94th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 83rd percentile

Scotland is a city of 785 people in Bon Homme County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $110,700 against household income of $63,250; January lows average 10°F.

785 people · Bon Homme County · median home $110,700 · income $63,250 · Jan low 10°F · 38 in snow

Full Scotland, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.
1Tripp, South Dakota

Retirement: 100th percentile · Quiet: 85th percentile · Home value ÷ income: 96th percentile

Tripp is a city of 575 people in Hutchinson County, South Dakota. Homes have a median value of $66,300 against household income of $59,167; January lows average 9°F.

575 people · Hutchinson County · median home $66,300 · income $59,167 · Jan low 9°F · 37 in snow

Full Tripp, South Dakota profile: weather, storms, schools, jobs →

Percentile vs South Dakota towns on each part of this ranking.

Price vs ranking

Orange squares are the 21 towns on this list; green dots are other towns on The Town Files in South Dakota.

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Methodology. We ranked 132 towns of 500–10,000 people in South Dakota (2020 Census population). Lifestyle measures are The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025), shown as percentiles. The combined score is the average of the percentiles shown for each town; a town must be above the middle on every one. Only towns better than 60% of their peers on this measure qualify, so lists can be shorter than 25. Sources:

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)

The 21 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in South Dakota

21Canistota, South Dakota

20Colton, South Dakota

19Arlington, South Dakota

18Wessington Springs, South Dakota

17Platte, South Dakota

16Springfield, South Dakota

15Selby, South Dakota

14Armour, South Dakota

13De Smet, South Dakota

12Lemmon, South Dakota

11Avon, South Dakota

10Onida, South Dakota

9Ipswich, South Dakota

8Gettysburg, South Dakota

7Edgemont, South Dakota

6Faulkton, South Dakota

5Eureka, South Dakota

4Highmore, South Dakota

3Tyndall, South Dakota

2Scotland, South Dakota

1Tripp, South Dakota

Price vs ranking

More South Dakota rankings

Same ranking, other places