The Town FilesBelle Fourche, South Dakota
City in Butte County · population 5,617 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $222,500
- Household income
- $65,071
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 38.3
Belle Fourche is a city of 5,617 people in Butte County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $222,500, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks more vibrant than 88% of South Dakota towns, more walkable than 78% of South Dakota towns.
How Belle Fourche 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 Belle Fourche is worth $222,500, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $65,071, which is more affordable than 20% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $983 a month. 65.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Belle Fourche | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $222,500 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $983 | $785 |
| Median household income | $65,071 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 65.5% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Belle Fourche
| People | Belle Fourche | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.1% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.6% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.1% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 86.7% |
Weather in Belle Fourche
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 12.9°F. About 18.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.2 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 38 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belle Fourche since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 15, 1999 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 15, 1999.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 80 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 19, 2015.
Severe weather in Butte County since 1996
Butte County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 2, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4664: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
| October 7, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4467: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4463: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Butte County
Butte County had 2,940 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,795 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Belle Fourche itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Belle Fourche
5 public schools with 1,296 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 | 5-8 | 405 | 12.7 |
| South Park Elementary - 03 | 1-4 | 396 | 12.8 |
| Belle Fourche High School - 01 | 9-12 | 372 | 14.9 |
| North Park Elementary - 08 | K-K | 88 | 11.0 |
| Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 | 9-12 | 35 | 17.5 |
Towns near Belle Fourche
- North Spearfish, SD10.8 mi · 2,366 people · home $356,200
- Spearfish, SD12.1 mi · 12,193 people · home $346,200
- Whitewood, SD17.7 mi · 879 people · home $243,300
- Deadwood, SD20.3 mi · 1,156 people · home $226,500
- Lead, SD22.0 mi · 2,982 people · home $189,400
- Newell, SD22.0 mi · 584 people · home $141,300
- Boulder Canyon, SD22.3 mi · 561 people · home $597,800
- Sturgis, SD24.9 mi · 7,020 people · home $271,200
Belle Fourche questions
Is Belle Fourche, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Belle Fourche scores better for retirees than 12% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 41%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.3).
How much does a house cost in Belle Fourche?
The median owner-occupied home in Belle Fourche is valued at $222,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,071, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $983 a month.
What is the weather like in Belle Fourche?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 12.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.0 inches of precipitation a year and 42.2 inches of snow.
Does Belle Fourche get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belle Fourche since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on May 15, 1999. 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)