Is Lemmon, SD a Good Place to Live?
Lemmon is a small town of 1,118 in South Dakota, with a median household income of $38,125 and a 5.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is 14% below the national average.
Strengths: Lemmon 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 Lemmon is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lemmon 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: 86.2Lemmon's overall cost of living index is 86.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lemmon costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Lemmon, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $76,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $669 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $38,125 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Lemmon is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Lemmon is served primarily by Lemmon School District 52-4. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Lemmon, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Lemmon School District 52-4 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 18.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 86.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Lemmon sees average highs of 28.8°F in January and 86.7°F in July, with 18.0 inches of annual precipitation and 42.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Lemmon, SD |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 28.8°F |
| Average High — July | 86.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 42.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Lemmon, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,118 | — |
| Median Age | 51.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 11.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 92.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 32.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Lemmon
Lemmon, SD is covered by 1 ZIP code: