The Town FilesPorcupine, South Dakota
Community in Oglala Lakota County · population 925 (2020 Census)
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 88°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 29.1
Porcupine is a community of 925 people in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota. It ranks better transit than 85% of South Dakota towns.
How Porcupine 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
98.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Porcupine | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $182,100 |
| Median rent | — | $785 |
| Median household income | — | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 98.7% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Porcupine
| People | Porcupine | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.1 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 46.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 79.7% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 25.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | — min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 51.3% | 86.7% |
Weather in Porcupine
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 10.3°F. About 19.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 187 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Porcupine since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 6, 2007 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 67 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 20, 2005.
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 Porcupine itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Porcupine
- Manderson-White Horse Creek, SD8.2 mi · 554 people · home —
- Kyle, SD13.3 mi · 943 people · home $9,999
- Oglala, SD19.6 mi · 1,282 people · home —
- Pine Ridge, SD20.0 mi · 3,138 people · home —
Porcupine questions
Is Porcupine, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Porcupine scores better for retirees than 9% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 17%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.1).
What is the weather like in Porcupine?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 10.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.9 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Porcupine get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Porcupine since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 6, 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)