The Town FilesClear Lake, South Dakota
City in Deuel County · population 1,218 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $162,500
- Household income
- $84,792
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 61 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 43.1
Clear Lake is a city of 1,218 people in Deuel County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $162,500, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of South Dakota towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of South Dakota towns, more walkable than 79% of South Dakota towns.
How Clear Lake 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 Clear Lake is worth $162,500, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $84,792, which is more affordable than 79% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $663 a month. 73.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clear Lake | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $162,500 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $663 | $785 |
| Median household income | $84,792 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 73.0% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.9% | — |
Who lives in Clear Lake
| People | Clear Lake | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.5% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.5% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.6% | 86.7% |
Weather in Clear Lake
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 2.4°F. About 27.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 60.7 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clear Lake since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on June 28, 2025 about 2.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 28, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 14, 1970.
Severe weather in Deuel County since 1996
Deuel 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 |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
| September 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4463: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Deuel County
Deuel County had 1,536 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,171 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Clear Lake itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Clear Lake
3 public schools with 544 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Lake Elementary - 02 | PK-5 | 274 | 13.7 |
| Deuel High School - 01 | 9-12 | 171 | 13.2 |
| Clear Lake Middle School - 04 | 6-8 | 99 | 16.5 |
Towns near Clear Lake
- Estelline, SD16.2 mi · 749 people · home $142,200
- Castlewood, SD16.9 mi · 698 people · home $198,200
- Canby, MN20.8 mi · 1,695 people · home $128,300
- Hendricks, MN21.5 mi · 616 people · home $115,500
- White, SD22.2 mi · 537 people · home $128,800
- Lake Poinsett, SD24.2 mi · 501 people · home $493,200
- Watertown, SD25.1 mi · 22,655 people · home $229,400
- Lake Norden, SD28.4 mi · 554 people · home $192,600
Clear Lake questions
Is Clear Lake, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clear Lake scores better for retirees than 77% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 16%. 25.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.1).
How much does a house cost in Clear Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Clear Lake is valued at $162,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,792, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $663 a month.
What is the weather like in Clear Lake?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows 2.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.5 inches of precipitation a year and 60.7 inches of snow.
Does Clear Lake get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clear Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on June 28, 2025. 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)