The Town FilesLemmon, South Dakota
City in Perkins County · population 1,160 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $86,200
- Household income
- $50,147
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 45.9
Lemmon is a city of 1,160 people in Perkins County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $86,200, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks more of a college town than 85% of South Dakota towns, better for cycling than 85% of South Dakota towns, better for retirees than 78% of South Dakota towns.
How Lemmon 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 Lemmon is worth $86,200, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $50,147, which is more affordable than 87% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $672 a month. 73.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lemmon | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $86,200 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $672 | $785 |
| Median household income | $50,147 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 73.0% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.0% | — |
Who lives in Lemmon
| People | Lemmon | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.0% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.0% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 9.2 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.2% | 86.7% |
Weather in Lemmon
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 8.9°F. About 18.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.3 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lemmon since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 17, 1969 about 3.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 49 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 26, 2008.
Severe weather in Perkins County since 1996
Perkins County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| February 1, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4298: Severe Winter Storm |
| July 28, 2014 | Flood | DR-4186: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Perkins County
Perkins County had 1,119 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,738 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Lemmon itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Lemmon
3 public schools with 292 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemmon Elementary - 02 | K-6 | 150 | 13.6 |
| Lemmon High School - 01 | 9-12 | 96 | 10.7 |
| Lemmon Jr. High - 06 | 7-8 | 46 | 15.3 |
Towns near Lemmon
- Hettinger, ND23.2 mi · 1,074 people · home $112,200
Lemmon questions
Is Lemmon, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lemmon scores better for retirees than 78% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 69%. 31.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.9).
How much does a house cost in Lemmon?
The median owner-occupied home in Lemmon is valued at $86,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,147, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $672 a month.
What is the weather like in Lemmon?
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 8.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.0 inches of precipitation a year and 42.3 inches of snow.
Does Lemmon get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lemmon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 17, 1969. 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)