The Town FilesPlankinton, South Dakota
City in Aurora County · population 781 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,800
- Household income
- $74,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 42.4
Plankinton is a city of 781 people in Aurora County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $114,800, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for families than 76% of South Dakota towns, more of a college town than 72% of South Dakota towns.
How Plankinton 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 Plankinton is worth $114,800, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $74,833, which is more affordable than 92% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $970 a month. 69.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plankinton | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,800 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $970 | $785 |
| Median household income | $74,833 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 69.0% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Plankinton
| People | Plankinton | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.1% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.6% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.9% | 86.7% |
Weather in Plankinton
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 8.2°F. About 23.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.2 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plankinton since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 5, 2007 about 2.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 4, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 8, 2009.
Severe weather in Aurora County since 1996
Aurora County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4807: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| June 29, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4656: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
| November 18, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4469: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Aurora County
Aurora County had 812 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,846 a year. Unemployment was 1.6% in 2023; in Plankinton itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Plankinton
7 public schools with 304 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plankinton Elementary - 02 | PK-6 | 152 | 10.9 |
| Plankinton High School - 01 | 9-12 | 98 | 14.0 |
| Plankinton Jr. High - 03 | 7-8 | 30 | 15.0 |
| Aurora Plains Academy Middle School - 04 | 4-8 | 12 | 12.0 |
| Aurora Plains Academy High School - 05 | 9-12 | 6 | 3.0 |
| Dakota Reach Middle School - 07 | 5-8 | 3 | — |
| Dakota Reach - 06 | 9-12 | 3 | — |
Towns near Plankinton
- Corsica, SD20.6 mi · 561 people · home $162,500
- Mitchell, SD22.1 mi · 15,660 people · home $192,200
- Kimball, SD23.7 mi · 572 people · home $152,800
- Wessington Springs, SD25.6 mi · 771 people · home $111,300
- Woonsocket, SD25.7 mi · 631 people · home $80,800
- Armour, SD28.2 mi · 698 people · home $105,500
- Platte, SD29.0 mi · 1,296 people · home $179,200
Plankinton questions
Is Plankinton, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plankinton scores better for retirees than 51% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 60%. 14.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.4).
How much does a house cost in Plankinton?
The median owner-occupied home in Plankinton is valued at $114,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,833, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $970 a month.
What is the weather like in Plankinton?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 8.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.9 inches of precipitation a year and 38.2 inches of snow.
Does Plankinton get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plankinton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 5, 2007. 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)