The Town FilesAshland Heights, South Dakota
Community in Pennington County · population 678 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $219,600
- Household income
- $57,353
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 54 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 54.6
Ashland Heights is a community of 678 people in Pennington County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $219,600, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of South Dakota towns, more vibrant than 92% of South Dakota towns, easier by car than 81% of South Dakota towns.
How Ashland Heights 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 Ashland Heights is worth $219,600, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $57,353, which is more affordable than 14% of South Dakota towns. 100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ashland Heights | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $219,600 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | — | $785 |
| Median household income | $57,353 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ashland Heights
| People | Ashland Heights | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.6 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.2% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.1% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.7% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 2.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 17.3 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 66.2% | 86.7% |
Weather in Ashland Heights
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 16.2°F. About 20.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 53.7 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashland Heights since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 11, 1991 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 6, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 459 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 14, 1997.
Severe weather in Pennington County since 1996
Pennington County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4903: Straight-Line Winds |
| October 4, 2021 | Fire | FM-5418: Auburn Fire |
| March 29, 2021 | Fire | FM-5384: Schroeder Fire |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pennington County
Pennington County had 62,114 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,286 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Ashland Heights itself the ACS puts it at 26%.
Towns near Ashland Heights
- Box Elder, SD2.6 mi · 11,746 people · home $302,100
- Rapid Valley, SD4.6 mi · 8,098 people · home $255,500
- Rapid City, SD6.4 mi · 74,703 people · home $299,400
- Green Valley, SD6.6 mi · 1,051 people · home $280,300
- Blackhawk, SD10.5 mi · 3,026 people · home $273,300
- Summerset, SD11.5 mi · 2,972 people · home $368,300
- Wonderland Homes, SD12.0 mi · 718 people · home $264,900
- Colonial Pine Hills, SD12.6 mi · 1,903 people · home $406,500
Ashland Heights questions
Is Ashland Heights, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ashland Heights scores better for retirees than 5% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 32%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.6).
How much does a house cost in Ashland Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Ashland Heights is valued at $219,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,353, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Ashland Heights?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 16.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.0 inches of precipitation a year and 53.7 inches of snow.
Does Ashland Heights get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashland Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 11, 1991. 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)