The Town FilesEagle Butte, South Dakota
City in Dewey County · population 1,258 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $65,900
- Household income
- $45,741
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 28.0
Eagle Butte is a city of 1,258 people in Dewey County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $65,900, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for young professionals than 93% of South Dakota towns.
How Eagle Butte 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 Eagle Butte is worth $65,900, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $45,741, which is more affordable than 93% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $611 a month. 51.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Eagle Butte | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $65,900 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $611 | $785 |
| Median household income | $45,741 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 51.9% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Eagle Butte
| People | Eagle Butte | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.0 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 5.8% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 39.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.3% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 31.8% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 10.2 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in Eagle Butte
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 8.8°F. About 19.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.8 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Eagle Butte since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 16, 2010 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 16, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 25, 1984.
Severe weather in Dewey County since 1996
Dewey County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
| June 7, 2019 | Flood | DR-4440: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| February 1, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4298: Severe Winter Storm |
| July 28, 2014 | Flood | DR-4186: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Dewey County
Dewey County had 2,447 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,085 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Eagle Butte itself the ACS puts it at 24.7%.
Public schools in Eagle Butte
6 public schools with 383 students, about 8.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Butte Upper Elementary - 03 | 3-6 | 295 | 11.8 |
| Eagle Butte Primary - 02 | K-2 | 71 | 14.2 |
| Eagle Butte High School - 01 | 9-12 | 10 | 0.9 |
| Eagle Butte Jr. High - 06 | 7-8 | 4 | 1.0 |
| E. A. G. L. E. Center High School - 07 | 9-12 | 3 | 1.5 |
| E.A.G.L.E. Center - 09 | 5-8 | — | — |
Towns near Eagle Butte
- North Eagle Butte, SD1.9 mi · 1,879 people · home $33,100
Eagle Butte questions
Is Eagle Butte, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Eagle Butte scores better for retirees than 31% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 28%. 5.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.0).
How much does a house cost in Eagle Butte?
The median owner-occupied home in Eagle Butte is valued at $65,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,741, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $611 a month.
What is the weather like in Eagle Butte?
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 8.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.3 inches of precipitation a year and 36.8 inches of snow.
Does Eagle Butte get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Eagle Butte since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 16, 2010. 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)