The Town FilesWhitewood, South Dakota
City in Lawrence County · population 879 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $243,300
- Household income
- $77,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 40.1
Whitewood is a city of 879 people in Lawrence County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $243,300, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 100% of South Dakota towns, better for retirees than 99% of South Dakota towns, more upscale than 92% of South Dakota towns.
How Whitewood 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 Whitewood is worth $243,300, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $77,500, which is more affordable than 30% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $946 a month. 82.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Whitewood | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $243,300 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $946 | $785 |
| Median household income | $77,500 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 82.9% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Whitewood
| People | Whitewood | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 27.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.0% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.6% | 86.7% |
Weather in Whitewood
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 15.1°F. About 21.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.6 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whitewood since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 28, 1972 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 16, 2007.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 168 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 19, 2015.
Severe weather in Lawrence County since 1996
Lawrence County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
| October 7, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4467: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| November 8, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4155: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| June 28, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4125: Severe Storms, Tornado, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lawrence County
Lawrence County had 13,566 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,201 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Whitewood itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Whitewood
1 public school with 124 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitewood Elementary - 04 | PK-5 | 124 | 12.4 |
Towns near Whitewood
- Boulder Canyon, SD4.8 mi · 561 people · home $597,800
- Deadwood, SD6.6 mi · 1,156 people · home $226,500
- Sturgis, SD7.7 mi · 7,020 people · home $271,200
- Spearfish, SD9.0 mi · 12,193 people · home $346,200
- Lead, SD9.9 mi · 2,982 people · home $189,400
- North Spearfish, SD13.5 mi · 2,366 people · home $356,200
- Belle Fourche, SD17.7 mi · 5,617 people · home $222,500
- Newell, SD20.7 mi · 584 people · home $141,300
Whitewood questions
Is Whitewood, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Whitewood scores better for retirees than 99% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 89%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Whitewood?
The median owner-occupied home in Whitewood is valued at $243,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,500, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $946 a month.
What is the weather like in Whitewood?
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 15.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.3 inches of precipitation a year and 47.6 inches of snow.
Does Whitewood get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whitewood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 28, 1972. 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)