The Town FilesArlington, South Dakota
City in Kingsbury County · population 915 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $144,300
- Household income
- $71,296
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 40.1
Arlington is a city of 915 people in Kingsbury County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $144,300, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of South Dakota towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of South Dakota towns, more of a college town than 82% of South Dakota towns.
How Arlington ranks
Percentile among South Dakota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of South Dakota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Arlington is worth $144,300, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $71,296, which is more affordable than 77% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $810 a month. 70.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Arlington | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $144,300 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $810 | $785 |
| Median household income | $71,296 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 70.2% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Arlington
| People | Arlington | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.5% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.2% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 3.3% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 86.7% |
Weather in Arlington
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 5.3°F. About 26.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.4 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arlington since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 16, 1992 about 0.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 28, 1991.
Severe weather in Kingsbury County since 1996
Kingsbury County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 27, 2023 | Winter Storm | DR-4689: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| June 29, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4656: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| November 18, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4469: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 7, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4467: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Kingsbury County
Kingsbury County had 1,814 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,846 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Arlington itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Public schools in Arlington
6 public schools with 333 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington Elementary - 02 | K-6 | 161 | 16.1 |
| Arlington High School - 01 | 9-12 | 86 | 10.8 |
| Arlington Jr. High - 03 | 7-8 | 37 | 18.5 |
| Spring Lake Colony Elementary | K-8 | 18 | 9.0 |
| Arlington Preschool - 04 | PK-PK | 17 | — |
| Spring Lake Colony High School | 9-12 | 14 | — |
Towns near Arlington
- Volga, SD10.8 mi · 2,113 people · home $240,000
- Lake Preston, SD12.0 mi · 589 people · home $130,000
- Lake Poinsett, SD14.5 mi · 501 people · home $493,200
- Lake Norden, SD15.4 mi · 554 people · home $192,600
- Brookings, SD17.6 mi · 23,377 people · home $265,500
- Estelline, SD18.7 mi · 749 people · home $142,200
- De Smet, SD20.6 mi · 1,056 people · home $165,200
- Aurora, SD23.0 mi · 1,047 people · home $234,600
Arlington questions
Is Arlington, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Arlington scores better for retirees than 76% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 62%. 22.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Arlington?
The median owner-occupied home in Arlington is valued at $144,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,296, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $810 a month.
What is the weather like in Arlington?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 5.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.2 inches of precipitation a year and 39.4 inches of snow.
Does Arlington get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arlington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 16, 1992. The typical South Dakota town has had 13.
- 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)