The Town FilesEstelline, South Dakota
City in Hamlin County · population 749 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $142,200
- Household income
- $78,438
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 34.1
Estelline is a city of 749 people in Hamlin County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $142,200, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 94% of South Dakota towns, better for families than 87% of South Dakota towns.
How Estelline 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 Estelline is worth $142,200, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $78,438, which is more affordable than 83% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $753 a month. 82.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Estelline | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $142,200 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $753 | $785 |
| Median household income | $78,438 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 82.2% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Estelline
| People | Estelline | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.1 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 31.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.6% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.5% | — |
| Work from home | 2.5% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 86.7% |
Weather in Estelline
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 1.7°F. About 24.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.4 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 187 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Estelline since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 21, 1961 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 23, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 29, 2001.
Severe weather in Hamlin County since 1996
Hamlin County has been included in 22 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 Hamlin County
Hamlin County had 2,629 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,544 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Estelline itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.
Public schools in Estelline
3 public schools with 275 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estelline Elementary - 02 | PK-5 | 136 | 12.4 |
| Estelline High School - 01 | 9-12 | 86 | 10.8 |
| Estelline Middle School - 03 | 6-8 | 53 | 13.3 |
Towns near Estelline
- Lake Poinsett, SD10.2 mi · 501 people · home $493,200
- Castlewood, SD12.0 mi · 698 people · home $198,200
- Lake Norden, SD15.3 mi · 554 people · home $192,600
- White, SD15.9 mi · 537 people · home $128,800
- Clear Lake, SD16.2 mi · 1,218 people · home $162,500
- Volga, SD17.6 mi · 2,113 people · home $240,000
- Arlington, SD18.7 mi · 915 people · home $144,300
- Brookings, SD19.7 mi · 23,377 people · home $265,500
Estelline questions
Is Estelline, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Estelline scores better for retirees than 15% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 57%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.1).
How much does a house cost in Estelline?
The median owner-occupied home in Estelline is valued at $142,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,438, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $753 a month.
What is the weather like in Estelline?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 1.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.8 inches of precipitation a year and 44.4 inches of snow.
Does Estelline get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Estelline since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 21, 1961. 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)