The Town FilesLake Poinsett, South Dakota
Community in Hamlin County · population 501 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $493,200
- Household income
- $96,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 62.6
Lake Poinsett is a community of 501 people in Hamlin County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $493,200, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 90% of South Dakota towns, better for families than 87% of South Dakota towns, better for cycling than 74% of South Dakota towns.
How Lake Poinsett 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 Lake Poinsett is worth $493,200, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 5.1 times the median household income of $96,875, which is more affordable than 4% of South Dakota towns. 100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Poinsett | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $493,200 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | — | $785 |
| Median household income | $96,875 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.1× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 71.3% | — |
Who lives in Lake Poinsett
| People | Lake Poinsett | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 62.6 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.2% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 9.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.7% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.2% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 35.8 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 86.7% |
Weather in Lake Poinsett
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 2.5°F. About 24.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.0 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 182 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Poinsett since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 18, 1986 about 0.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 65 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 30, 1999.
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 Lake Poinsett itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Lake Poinsett
- Lake Norden, SD5.1 mi · 554 people · home $192,600
- Estelline, SD10.2 mi · 749 people · home $142,200
- Castlewood, SD11.2 mi · 698 people · home $198,200
- Arlington, SD14.5 mi · 915 people · home $144,300
- Volga, SD19.6 mi · 2,113 people · home $240,000
- Lake Preston, SD19.7 mi · 589 people · home $130,000
- Watertown, SD23.4 mi · 22,655 people · home $229,400
- Clear Lake, SD24.2 mi · 1,218 people · home $162,500
Lake Poinsett questions
Is Lake Poinsett, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Poinsett scores better for retirees than 22% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 56%. 30.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 62.6).
How much does a house cost in Lake Poinsett?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Poinsett is valued at $493,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,875, so homes cost about 5.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Poinsett?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 2.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.3 inches of precipitation a year and 34.0 inches of snow.
Does Lake Poinsett get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Poinsett since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 18, 1986. 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)