The Town FilesWest Brule, South Dakota
Community in Lyman County · population 538 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $37,917
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 19.2
West Brule is a community of 538 people in Lyman County, South Dakota. It ranks better transit than 73% of South Dakota towns.
How West Brule 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
Median rent is $529 a month. 28.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | West Brule | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $529 | $785 |
| Median household income | $37,917 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 28.2% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in West Brule
| People | West Brule | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 19.2 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.7% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 48.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1.0% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 50.3% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 11.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 8.8 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 63.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in West Brule
July highs average 87.5°F and January lows 6.9°F. About 20.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.9 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Brule since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 9, 1971 about 2.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 12, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 6, 2019.
Severe weather in Lyman County since 1996
Lyman County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 30, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4233: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lyman County
Lyman County had 1,369 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $37,710 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in West Brule itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near West Brule
- Lower Brule, SD2.7 mi · 703 people · home $21,900
- Fort Thompson, SD11.7 mi · 1,224 people · home $150,000
- Chamberlain, SD24.4 mi · 2,473 people · home $224,300
West Brule questions
Is West Brule, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Brule scores better for retirees than 0% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 25%. 8.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 19.2).
What is the weather like in West Brule?
July highs average 87.5°F and January lows 6.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.1 inches of precipitation a year and 18.9 inches of snow.
Does West Brule get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Brule since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 9, 1971. 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)