Is Newell, SD a Good Place to Live?
Newell is a small town of 489 in South Dakota, with a median household income of $51,597 and a 3.2% unemployment rate.
Strengths: Newell stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Newell is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Newell city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Cost of living data is based on the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for the Newell metro area.
| Metric | Newell, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $118,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 88.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $51,597 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeNewell's violent crime rate is 86.3 per 100,000 residents — 77% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Newell is served primarily by Newell School District 09-2. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Newell, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Newell School District 09-2 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 83.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Newell sees average highs of 31.8°F in January and 85.8°F in July, with 16.7 inches of annual precipitation and 39.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Newell, SD |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 31.8°F |
| Average High — July | 85.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Newell, SD | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 489 | — |
| Median Age | 49.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 17.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 95.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 13.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 23.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Newell
Newell, SD is covered by 1 ZIP code: