The Town FilesWatertown, South Dakota
City in Codington County · population 22,655 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $229,400
- Household income
- $69,600
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 39.5
Watertown is a city of 22,655 people in Codington County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $229,400, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks more walkable than 99% of South Dakota towns, more vibrant than 97% of South Dakota towns, hipper than 88% of South Dakota towns.
How Watertown 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 Watertown is worth $229,400, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $69,600, which is more affordable than 23% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $942 a month. 65.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Watertown | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $229,400 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $942 | $785 |
| Median household income | $69,600 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 65.3% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Watertown
| People | Watertown | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.0% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 12.6 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.3% | 86.7% |
Weather in Watertown
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 3.1°F. About 22.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.1 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 174 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watertown since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 12, 1984 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 27, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 82 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 11, 2017.
Severe weather in Codington County since 1996
Codington County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4718: 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 Codington County
Codington County had 17,261 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,139 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Watertown itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Watertown
8 public schools with 3,673 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown High School - 01 | 9-12 | 1,222 | 17.0 |
| Watertown Middle School - 02 | 7-8 | 587 | 15.9 |
| Watertown Intermediate School - 13 | 5-6 | 556 | 13.6 |
| Lincoln Elementary - 05 | PK-4 | 338 | 16.1 |
| Jefferson Elementary - 09 | PK-4 | 332 | 18.4 |
| McKinley Elementary - 06 | PK-4 | 255 | 12.1 |
| Mellette Elementary - 07 | PK-4 | 235 | 12.4 |
| Roosevelt Elementary - 08 | PK-4 | 148 | 10.6 |
Towns near Watertown
- Castlewood, SD14.2 mi · 698 people · home $198,200
- Lake Norden, SD22.9 mi · 554 people · home $192,600
- Lake Poinsett, SD23.4 mi · 501 people · home $493,200
- Clear Lake, SD25.1 mi · 1,218 people · home $162,500
- Estelline, SD26.1 mi · 749 people · home $142,200
- Clark, SD28.4 mi · 1,148 people · home $122,800
Watertown questions
Is Watertown, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Watertown scores better for retirees than 8% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 4%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).
How much does a house cost in Watertown?
The median owner-occupied home in Watertown is valued at $229,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,600, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $942 a month.
What is the weather like in Watertown?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 3.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.7 inches of precipitation a year and 41.1 inches of snow.
Does Watertown get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watertown since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 12, 1984. 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)