The Town FilesRosebud, South Dakota
Community in Todd County · population 1,455 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $81,300
- Household income
- $55,135
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 23.6
Rosebud is a community of 1,455 people in Todd County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $81,300, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for young professionals than 77% of South Dakota towns.
How Rosebud 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 Rosebud is worth $81,300, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $55,135, which is more affordable than 92% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $709 a month. 32.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rosebud | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $81,300 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $709 | $785 |
| Median household income | $55,135 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 32.7% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rosebud
| People | Rosebud | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.6 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 5.8% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 40.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.7% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 38.2% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 0.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 11.5 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 86.7% |
Weather in Rosebud
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 11.6°F. About 20.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.5 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 30 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rosebud since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 7, 1979 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 1999.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 71 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 20, 2025.
Severe weather in Todd County since 1996
Todd County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 27, 2023 | Winter Storm | DR-4689: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
| September 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4463: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| June 7, 2019 | Flood | DR-4440: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Todd County
Todd County had 2,946 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,365 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Rosebud itself the ACS puts it at 16.3%.
Public schools in Rosebud
1 public school with 294 students, about 14.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosebud Elementary - 04 | K-5 | 294 | 14.7 |
Towns near Rosebud
- Mission, SD9.1 mi · 1,156 people · home $65,900
- Antelope, SD10.5 mi · 830 people · home —
- Parmelee, SD13.2 mi · 606 people · home —
- White River, SD23.0 mi · 533 people · home $75,000
- Valentine, NE28.6 mi · 2,633 people · home $148,600
Rosebud questions
Is Rosebud, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rosebud scores better for retirees than 8% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 20%. 5.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 23.6).
How much does a house cost in Rosebud?
The median owner-occupied home in Rosebud is valued at $81,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,135, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $709 a month.
What is the weather like in Rosebud?
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 11.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.9 inches of precipitation a year and 41.5 inches of snow.
Does Rosebud get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rosebud since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 7, 1979. 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)