The Town FilesFort Thompson, South Dakota
Community in Buffalo County · population 1,224 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $150,000
- Household income
- $47,159
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 22.8
Fort Thompson is a community of 1,224 people in Buffalo County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $150,000, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for young professionals than 90% of South Dakota towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of South Dakota towns.
How Fort Thompson 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 Fort Thompson is worth $150,000, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $47,159, which is more affordable than 24% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $563 a month. 39.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Thompson | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $150,000 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $563 | $785 |
| Median household income | $47,159 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 39.2% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Fort Thompson
| People | Fort Thompson | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 22.8 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.0% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 37.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.2% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 41.6% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 11.0 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 65.3% | 86.7% |
Weather in Fort Thompson
July highs average 87.5°F and January lows 6.9°F. About 20.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.9 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Thompson since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 16, 1992 about 1.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 16, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 28, 1986.
Severe weather in Buffalo County since 1996
Buffalo County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4938: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4807: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Buffalo County
Buffalo County had 538 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,972 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Fort Thompson itself the ACS puts it at 10.5%.
Towns near Fort Thompson
- Lower Brule, SD9.0 mi · 703 people · home $21,900
- West Brule, SD11.7 mi · 538 people · home —
- Chamberlain, SD18.1 mi · 2,473 people · home $224,300
Fort Thompson questions
Is Fort Thompson, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Thompson scores better for retirees than 15% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 31%. 10.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 22.8).
How much does a house cost in Fort Thompson?
The median owner-occupied home in Fort Thompson is valued at $150,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,159, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $563 a month.
What is the weather like in Fort Thompson?
July highs average 87.5°F and January lows 6.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.1 inches of precipitation a year and 18.9 inches of snow.
Does Fort Thompson get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Thompson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 16, 1992. 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)