The Town FilesWoonsocket, South Dakota
City in Sanborn County · population 631 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $80,800
- Household income
- $56,765
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 41.3
Woonsocket is a city of 631 people in Sanborn County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $80,800, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks more of a college town than 85% of South Dakota towns.
How Woonsocket 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 Woonsocket is worth $80,800, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $56,765, which is more affordable than 93% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $664 a month. 77.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Woonsocket | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,800 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $664 | $785 |
| Median household income | $56,765 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 77.7% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Woonsocket
| People | Woonsocket | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.2% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 15.0 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 65.5% | 86.7% |
Weather in Woonsocket
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 4.8°F. About 24.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.6 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Woonsocket since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 18, 2014 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 18, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 28, 1991.
Severe weather in Sanborn County since 1996
Sanborn County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4807: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
| September 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4463: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sanborn County
Sanborn County had 640 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,586 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Woonsocket itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Woonsocket
2 public schools with 278 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woonsocket Elementary - 03 | PK-8 | 193 | 14.8 |
| Woonsocket High School - 01 | 9-12 | 85 | 12.1 |
Towns near Woonsocket
- Wessington Springs, SD15.0 mi · 771 people · home $111,300
- Huron, SD21.5 mi · 14,263 people · home $159,000
- Mitchell, SD25.3 mi · 15,660 people · home $192,200
- Plankinton, SD25.7 mi · 781 people · home $114,800
Woonsocket questions
Is Woonsocket, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Woonsocket scores better for retirees than 49% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 45%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.3).
How much does a house cost in Woonsocket?
The median owner-occupied home in Woonsocket is valued at $80,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,765, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $664 a month.
What is the weather like in Woonsocket?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 4.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.6 inches of precipitation a year and 33.6 inches of snow.
Does Woonsocket get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Woonsocket since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 18, 2014. 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)