Median Income
N/A
household / year
Median Home Value
$139,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,563
gross / month
Cost of Living
96
national avg = 100

Is Fruitdale, SD a Good Place to Live?

Fruitdale is a small town of 127 in South Dakota, with a median household income of N/A and a 8.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.

Strengths: Fruitdale stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Fruitdale is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Fruitdale 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: 95.9

Fruitdale's overall cost of living index is 95.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Fruitdale costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.

Metric Fruitdale, SD National Avg
Median Home Value $139,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,563 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 82.5% 65.9%
Median Household Income N/A $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Fruitdale's violent crime rate is 86.3 per 100,000 residents — 77% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
86.3 /100k
Property Crime
1313.6 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric Fruitdale, SD National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 53.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 97.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Fruitdale sees average highs of 36.5°F in January and 87.3°F in July, with 20.6 inches of annual precipitation and 42.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricFruitdale, SD
Average High — January36.5°F
Average High — July87.3°F
Annual Precipitation20.6"
Annual Snowfall42.2"

Demographics

MetricFruitdale, SDNational Avg
Population127—
Median Age32.238.9
Unemployment Rate8.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time22.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)86.6%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino13.4%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1824.4%22.2%
65 and over29.1%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Nisland, SD 7 mi Belle Fourche, SD 8 mi St. Onge, SD 9 mi Spearfish, SD 14 mi Newell, SD 14 mi

Fruitdale vs Other Cities

Fruitdale, SD vs Nisland, SD Fruitdale, SD vs Belle Fourche, SD Fruitdale, SD vs St. Onge, SD Fruitdale, SD vs Spearfish, SD Fruitdale, SD vs Newell, SD

Frequently Asked Questions

Fruitdale's cost of living index is 96, where 100 is the national average. That makes Fruitdale roughly 4% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $139,700 and median rent is $1,563/month.
Fruitdale's violent crime rate is 86.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1313.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Fruitdale, SD has a population of 127, a median household income of N/A, and an unemployment rate of 8.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Fruitdale averages 36.5°F in January and 87.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 20.6 inches with about 42.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Fruitdale, South Dakota is 127 with a median age of 32.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Fruitdale: cost of living index 96 (100 = US average), median home $139,700, median household income N/A, crime index 39 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Fruitdale side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.