Is Faulkton, SD a Good Place to Live?
Faulkton is a small town of 672 in South Dakota, with a median household income of $60,000 and a 9.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.
Strengths: Faulkton stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Faulkton is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Faulkton city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 90.7Faulkton's overall cost of living index is 90.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Faulkton costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Faulkton, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $106,300 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $964 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $60,000 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Faulkton is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Faulkton is served primarily by Faulkton Area Schools 24-4. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Faulkton, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Faulkton Area Schools 24-4 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 85.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Faulkton sees average highs of 24.0°F in January and 84.5°F in July, with 22.0 inches of annual precipitation and 43.7 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Faulkton, SD |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 24.0°F |
| Average High — July | 84.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 22.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 43.7" |
Demographics
| Metric | Faulkton, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 672 | — |
| Median Age | 41.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 9.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 10.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 28.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Faulkton
Faulkton, SD is covered by 1 ZIP code: