The Town Files

Green Valley, South Dakota

Community in Pennington County · population 1,051 (2020 Census)

Map: where Green Valley is in South DakotaGreen Valley
Median home
$280,300
Household income
$81,582
Jan low / Jul high
13° / 86°
Snow a year
49 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
15
Median age
36.9

Green Valley is a community of 1,051 people in Pennington County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $280,300, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for cycling than 92% of South Dakota towns, more vibrant than 86% of South Dakota towns, more upscale than 81% of South Dakota towns.

How Green Valley 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.

Green Valley lifestyle rankings vs other South Dakota townsRetirement2nd pctFamilies31st pctQuiet5th pctWalkability57th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals69th pctVibrancy86th pctHip & trendy22nd pctCollege town47th pctUpscale81st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling92nd pctTransitbottomDriving20th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Green Valley is worth $280,300, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $81,582, which is more affordable than 20% of South Dakota towns. 78.9% of households own their home.

Green Valley vs Pennington County vs typical South Dakota townGreen ValleyPennington CountyTypical South Dakota townHome value$280,300$302,200$182,100Household income$81,582$74,517$66,086
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of South Dakota towns with 500+ people.
HousingGreen ValleyTypical South Dakota town
Median home value$280,300$182,100
Median rent—$785
Median household income$81,582$66,086
Home value ÷ income3.4×2.7×
Homeownership78.9%71.0%
Median year built20021973
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Green Valley

PeopleGreen ValleyTypical South Dakota town
Median age36.939.5
Age 65 and over12.7%19.4%
Under 1824.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher11.6%23.6%
Below the poverty line1.0%10.1%
Veterans8.3%—
Born outside the U.S.0.0%—
Work from home9.6%5.7%
Average commute38.2 min17.4 min
Homes with broadband96.9%86.7%

Weather in Green Valley

July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 12.7°F. About 17.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.5 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 174 nights at or below freezing.

Green Valley monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing36°13°Jan38°14°Feb48°23°Mar57°31°Apr67°42°May78°52°Jun86°59°Jul85°56°Aug76°46°Sep60°34°Oct47°22°Nov37°14°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue0.35.30.57.70.98.42.110.13.51.52.92.31.61.20.11.43.00.55.70.36.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Rapid City Rgnl Ap station (2.9 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Green Valley since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 13, 2016 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 13, 2016.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Green Valley by decade01950s31960s31970s31980s51990s02000s12010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 487 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on August 3, 2007.

Severe weather in Pennington County since 1996

Storm events in Pennington County since 1996 by typeHail1,442Flood48Blizzard75High Wind409Lightning13Heavy Snow123Flash Flood32Winter Storm319
NOAA Storm Events Database, Pennington County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 8 deaths recorded.

Pennington County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 7, 2026Straight-Line WindsDR-4903: Straight-Line Winds
October 4, 2021FireFM-5418: Auburn Fire
March 29, 2021FireFM-5384: Schroeder Fire
April 5, 2020BiologicalDR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3475: Covid-19

Jobs and pay in Pennington County

Pennington County had 62,114 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,286 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Green Valley itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.

Largest industries in Pennington CountyHealth care & social assistan…11,430 jobs · $69,289Retail8,654 jobs · $38,087Hotels & restaurants8,168 jobs · $27,135Construction4,812 jobs · $68,435Professional & technical serv…2,926 jobs · $85,204Other services2,739 jobs · $47,914
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Pennington County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023Pennington 1.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Green Valley

Green Valley questions

Is Green Valley, South Dakota a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Green Valley scores better for retirees than 2% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 5%. 12.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).

How much does a house cost in Green Valley?

The median owner-occupied home in Green Valley is valued at $280,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,582, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is — a month.

What is the weather like in Green Valley?

July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 12.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.4 inches of precipitation a year and 48.5 inches of snow.

Does Green Valley get tornadoes?

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Green Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 13, 2016. The typical South Dakota town has had 13.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Green Valley's Census boundary (GEOID 4626035). Comparisons use the median of South Dakota towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.