The Town FilesMission, South Dakota
City in Todd County · population 1,156 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $65,900
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 24.9
Mission is a city of 1,156 people in Todd County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $65,900, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for young professionals than 90% of South Dakota towns.
How Mission 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 Mission is worth $65,900, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Median rent is $432 a month. 49.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mission | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $65,900 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $432 | $785 |
| Median household income | — | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 49.4% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mission
| People | Mission | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.9 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.4% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 37.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.9% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 44.0% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 14.0 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 67.2% | 86.7% |
Weather in Mission
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 11.6°F. About 20.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.5 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 30 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mission since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 8, 1973 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 27, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 8, 2009.
Severe weather in Todd County since 1996
Todd County has been included in 13 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 |
| 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 |
| June 7, 2019 | Flood | DR-4440: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Todd County
Todd County had 2,946 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,365 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Mission itself the ACS puts it at 26.5%.
Public schools in Mission
6 public schools with 1,412 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Todd County Elementary - 16 | K-5 | 509 | 12.4 |
| Todd County High School - 01 | 9-12 | 471 | 13.9 |
| Todd County Middle School - 10 | 6-8 | 373 | 13.8 |
| Todd County Achievement High School - 17 | 9-12 | 39 | — |
| Todd County Achievement Middle School - 18 | 6-8 | 14 | — |
| Resource Center - 11 | K-12 | 6 | 0.7 |
Towns near Mission
- Antelope, SD1.6 mi · 830 people · home —
- Rosebud, SD9.1 mi · 1,455 people · home $81,300
- White River, SD18.5 mi · 533 people · home $75,000
- Parmelee, SD19.3 mi · 606 people · home —
Mission questions
Is Mission, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mission scores better for retirees than 26% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 20%. 6.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.9).
How much does a house cost in Mission?
The median owner-occupied home in Mission is valued at $65,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is $432 a month.
What is the weather like in Mission?
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 11.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.9 inches of precipitation a year and 41.5 inches of snow.
Does Mission get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mission since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 8, 1973. 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)