The Town FilesPiedmont, South Dakota
City in Meade County · population 971 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $324,200
- Household income
- $53,866
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 43.9
Piedmont is a city of 971 people in Meade County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $324,200, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 90% of South Dakota towns, better for families than 75% of South Dakota towns, more upscale than 72% of South Dakota towns.
How Piedmont 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 Piedmont is worth $324,200, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 6.0 times the median household income of $53,866, which is more affordable than 1% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $1,170 a month. 86.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Piedmont | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $324,200 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $1,170 | $785 |
| Median household income | $53,866 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.0× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 86.9% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Piedmont
| People | Piedmont | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.9 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.7% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 9.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 15.6 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.9% | 86.7% |
Weather in Piedmont
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 13.2°F. About 18.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.1 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Piedmont since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 11, 1991 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 23, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 314 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 1, 2015.
Severe weather in Meade County since 1996
Meade County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
| October 7, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4467: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4463: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| February 1, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4298: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Meade County
Meade County had 8,600 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,255 a year. Unemployment was 2.1% in 2023; in Piedmont itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in Piedmont
1 public school with 534 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont Valley Elementary - 05 | K-4 | 534 | 14.1 |
Towns near Piedmont
- Wonderland Homes, SD1.9 mi · 718 people · home $264,900
- Summerset, SD2.6 mi · 2,972 people · home $368,300
- Blackhawk, SD5.2 mi · 3,026 people · home $273,300
- Johnson Siding, SD9.8 mi · 614 people · home $471,700
- Rapid City, SD13.0 mi · 74,703 people · home $299,400
- Ashland Heights, SD13.9 mi · 678 people · home $219,600
- Sturgis, SD14.5 mi · 7,020 people · home $271,200
- Colonial Pine Hills, SD14.6 mi · 1,903 people · home $406,500
Piedmont questions
Is Piedmont, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Piedmont scores better for retirees than 46% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 58%. 28.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.9).
How much does a house cost in Piedmont?
The median owner-occupied home in Piedmont is valued at $324,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,866, so homes cost about 6.0 times income. Median rent is $1,170 a month.
What is the weather like in Piedmont?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 13.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.8 inches of precipitation a year and 36.1 inches of snow.
Does Piedmont get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Piedmont since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 11, 1991. 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)