The Town FilesWall, South Dakota
Town in Pennington County · population 699 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $164,800
- Household income
- $58,984
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 46.2
Wall is a town of 699 people in Pennington County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $164,800, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of South Dakota towns, quieter than 83% of South Dakota towns.
How Wall 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 Wall is worth $164,800, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $58,984, which is more affordable than 47% of South Dakota towns. 81.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wall | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $164,800 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | — | $785 |
| Median household income | $58,984 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 81.8% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 16.9% | — |
Who lives in Wall
| People | Wall | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.2 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.1% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.4% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 20.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 17.2 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.5% | 86.7% |
Weather in Wall
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 9.4°F. About 17.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.3 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wall since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on June 20, 2010 about 0.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 20, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on August 2, 1997.
Severe weather in Pennington County since 1996
Pennington County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4903: Straight-Line Winds |
| October 4, 2021 | Fire | FM-5418: Auburn Fire |
| March 29, 2021 | Fire | FM-5384: Schroeder Fire |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pennington County
Pennington County had 62,114 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,286 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Wall itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Wall
3 public schools with 277 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wall Elementary - 02 | K-5 | 119 | 14.9 |
| Wall High School - 01 | 9-12 | 99 | 12.4 |
| Wall Middle School - 06 | 6-8 | 59 | 11.8 |
Towns near Wall
- Philip, SD29.0 mi · 759 people · home $182,100
Wall questions
Is Wall, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wall scores better for retirees than 33% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 83%. 24.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.2).
How much does a house cost in Wall?
The median owner-occupied home in Wall is valued at $164,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,984, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Wall?
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 9.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.6 inches of precipitation a year and 33.3 inches of snow.
Does Wall get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wall since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on June 20, 2010. 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)