The Town FilesNew Underwood, South Dakota
City in Pennington County · population 590 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $193,800
- Household income
- $56,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 46.6
New Underwood is a city of 590 people in Pennington County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $193,800, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of South Dakota towns, quieter than 83% of South Dakota towns.
How New Underwood 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 New Underwood is worth $193,800, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $56,250, which is more affordable than 20% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $850 a month. 68.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | New Underwood | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $193,800 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $850 | $785 |
| Median household income | $56,250 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 68.2% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.7% | — |
Who lives in New Underwood
| People | New Underwood | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.6 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.0% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.4% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.8% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.6% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.2% | 86.7% |
Weather in New Underwood
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 47.5 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.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Underwood since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. The strongest, an F0, struck on July 7, 1992 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 7, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 6, 1977.
Severe weather in Pennington County since 1996
Pennington County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4903: Straight-Line Winds |
| October 4, 2021 | Fire | FM-5418: Auburn Fire |
| March 29, 2021 | Fire | FM-5384: Schroeder Fire |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-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 New Underwood itself the ACS puts it at 7%.
Public schools in New Underwood
3 public schools with 274 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Underwood Elementary - 02 | K-5 | 121 | 13.4 |
| New Underwood High School - 01 | 9-12 | 94 | 15.7 |
| New Underwood Middle School - 04 | 6-8 | 59 | 14.8 |
Towns near New Underwood
- Box Elder, SD12.1 mi · 11,746 people · home $302,100
- Green Valley, SD14.2 mi · 1,051 people · home $280,300
- Rapid Valley, SD14.3 mi · 8,098 people · home $255,500
- Ashland Heights, SD14.3 mi · 678 people · home $219,600
- Rapid City, SD18.9 mi · 74,703 people · home $299,400
- Colonial Pine Hills, SD24.4 mi · 1,903 people · home $406,500
- Blackhawk, SD24.8 mi · 3,026 people · home $273,300
- Summerset, SD25.7 mi · 2,972 people · home $368,300
New Underwood questions
Is New Underwood, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, New Underwood scores better for retirees than 33% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 83%. 22.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.6).
How much does a house cost in New Underwood?
The median owner-occupied home in New Underwood is valued at $193,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,250, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $850 a month.
What is the weather like in New Underwood?
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 47.5 inches of snow.
Does New Underwood get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Underwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on July 7, 1992. 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)