The Town FilesOglala, South Dakota
Community in Oglala Lakota County · population 1,282 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $21,330
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 89°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 28.8
Oglala is a community of 1,282 people in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota. It ranks better transit than 85% of South Dakota towns.
How Oglala 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
Median rent is $605 a month. 52.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oglala | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $605 | $785 |
| Median household income | $21,330 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 52.2% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Oglala
| People | Oglala | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.8 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 3.5% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.8% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 68.8% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 14.4 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 70.7% | 86.7% |
Weather in Oglala
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 11.7°F. About 16.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 46 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 181 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oglala since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 4, 1999 about 0.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 54 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 12, 2001.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on August 17, 2014.
Severe weather in Oglala Lakota County since 1996
Jobs and pay in Oglala Lakota County
Oglala Lakota County had 3,797 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,583 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Oglala itself the ACS puts it at 26.5%.
Towns near Oglala
- Manderson-White Horse Creek, SD11.4 mi · 554 people · home —
- Pine Ridge, SD13.9 mi · 3,138 people · home —
- Porcupine, SD19.6 mi · 925 people · home —
- Chadron, NE29.3 mi · 5,206 people · home $153,800
Oglala questions
Is Oglala, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oglala scores better for retirees than 9% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 17%. 3.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.8).
What is the weather like in Oglala?
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 11.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.6 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Oglala get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oglala since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 4, 1999. 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)