The Town FilesLake Preston, South Dakota
City in Kingsbury County · population 589 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $130,000
- Household income
- $52,396
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 49.3
Lake Preston is a city of 589 people in Kingsbury County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $130,000, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of South Dakota towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of South Dakota towns, more of a college town than 83% of South Dakota towns.
How Lake Preston 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 Preston is worth $130,000, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $52,396, which is more affordable than 59% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $615 a month. 61.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Preston | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $130,000 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $615 | $785 |
| Median household income | $52,396 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 61.7% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Lake Preston
| People | Lake Preston | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.3 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.0% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.7% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.0% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.7% | 86.7% |
Weather in Lake Preston
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 4.9°F. About 25.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.4 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Preston since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 21, 1961 about 0.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 10, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 28, 2002.
Severe weather in Kingsbury County since 1996
Kingsbury County has been included in 24 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 |
| November 18, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4469: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 7, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4467: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Kingsbury County
Kingsbury County had 1,814 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,846 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Lake Preston itself the ACS puts it at 0.4%.
Public schools in Lake Preston
3 public schools with 188 students, about 9.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Preston Elementary - 02 | PK-5 | 104 | 10.4 |
| Lake Preston High School - 01 | 9-12 | 51 | 7.3 |
| Lake Preston Middle School - 03 | 6-8 | 33 | 8.3 |
Towns near Lake Preston
- De Smet, SD8.7 mi · 1,056 people · home $165,200
- Arlington, SD12.0 mi · 915 people · home $144,300
- Lake Norden, SD17.1 mi · 554 people · home $192,600
- Lake Poinsett, SD19.7 mi · 501 people · home $493,200
- Volga, SD22.6 mi · 2,113 people · home $240,000
- Howard, SD25.3 mi · 848 people · home $100,700
- Estelline, SD27.7 mi · 749 people · home $142,200
- Madison, SD27.9 mi · 6,191 people · home $193,100
Lake Preston questions
Is Lake Preston, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Preston scores better for retirees than 76% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 60%. 27.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.3).
How much does a house cost in Lake Preston?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Preston is valued at $130,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,396, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $615 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Preston?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 4.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.9 inches of precipitation a year and 41.4 inches of snow.
Does Lake Preston get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Preston 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)