The Town FilesWorthing, South Dakota
City in Lincoln County · population 927 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $220,200
- Household income
- $93,162
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 36.4
Worthing is a city of 927 people in Lincoln County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $220,200, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks easier by car than 88% of South Dakota towns, better for families than 83% of South Dakota towns, more walkable than 76% of South Dakota towns.
How Worthing 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 Worthing is worth $220,200, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $93,162, which is more affordable than 63% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $1,092 a month. 93.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Worthing | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $220,200 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $1,092 | $785 |
| Median household income | $93,162 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 93.3% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Worthing
| People | Worthing | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.7% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 29.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.0% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.8% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 11.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in Worthing
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 5.8°F. About 27.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.1 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Worthing since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 26, 1986 about 8.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 4 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 28, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 66 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 18, 2004.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, biological.
| 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 |
| June 7, 2019 | Flood | DR-4440: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 29,694 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,125 a year. Unemployment was 1.6% in 2023; in Worthing itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in Worthing
1 public school with 121 students, about 20.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worthing Elementary - 05 | PK-4 | 121 | 20.2 |
Towns near Worthing
- Lennox, SD6.5 mi · 2,423 people · home $235,900
- Harrisburg, SD7.7 mi · 6,732 people · home $312,200
- Tea, SD9.1 mi · 5,598 people · home $351,100
- Canton, SD9.4 mi · 3,066 people · home $191,400
- Shindler, SD11.6 mi · 607 people · home $617,600
- Sioux Falls, SD14.7 mi · 192,517 people · home $292,400
- Inwood, IA16.8 mi · 928 people · home $202,900
- Beresford, SD17.3 mi · 2,180 people · home $234,400
Worthing questions
Is Worthing, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Worthing scores better for retirees than 21% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 64%. 9.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.4).
How much does a house cost in Worthing?
The median owner-occupied home in Worthing is valued at $220,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $93,162, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,092 a month.
What is the weather like in Worthing?
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 5.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.8 inches of precipitation a year and 36.1 inches of snow.
Does Worthing get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Worthing since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 26, 1986. 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)