The Town FilesClark, South Dakota
City in Clark County · population 1,148 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $122,800
- Household income
- $58,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 48.2
Clark is a city of 1,148 people in Clark County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $122,800, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks hipper than 84% of South Dakota towns, quieter than 72% of South Dakota towns.
How Clark 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 Clark is worth $122,800, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $58,750, which is more affordable than 74% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 73.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clark | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $122,800 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $775 | $785 |
| Median household income | $58,750 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 73.9% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.1% | — |
Who lives in Clark
| People | Clark | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.2 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.4% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.8% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 10.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 18.2 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 86.7% |
Weather in Clark
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 2.8°F. About 24.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.6 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 178 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clark since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 12, 1984 about 0.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 7, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 61 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 5, 1964.
Severe weather in Clark County since 1996
Clark County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4718: Flooding |
| February 27, 2023 | Winter Storm | DR-4689: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
| November 18, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4469: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Clark County
Clark County had 1,194 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,772 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Clark itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.
Public schools in Clark
4 public schools with 422 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clark Elementary - 02 | PK-5 | 213 | 12.5 |
| Clark High School - 01 | 9-12 | 102 | 11.3 |
| Clark Middle School - 03 | 6-8 | 87 | 14.5 |
| Silver Lake Colony - 07 | K-8 | 20 | 10.0 |
Towns near Clark
- Watertown, SD28.4 mi · 22,655 people · home $229,400
Clark questions
Is Clark, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clark scores better for retirees than 62% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 72%. 28.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.2).
How much does a house cost in Clark?
The median owner-occupied home in Clark is valued at $122,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,750, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Clark?
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 2.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.0 inches of precipitation a year and 24.6 inches of snow.
Does Clark get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clark since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 12, 1984. 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)