Below Average CostSafer than AverageSpearfish School District 40-2
Spearfish historic commercial district, Lawrence County, SD · JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD / CC BY-SA 3.0Spearfish, South Dakota 1902 · Clinton DeForest Curtis / Public domain
Spearfish is a small city of 12,268 in South Dakota, with a median household income of $58,734
and a 2.3% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is
5% below the national average.
Strengths:
Spearfish stands out for an affordable cost of living, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Spearfish is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Spearfish 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: 94.9
Spearfish's overall cost of living index is 94.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Spearfish costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.
Metric
Spearfish, SD
National Avg
Median Home Value
$271,400
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$913
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
52.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$58,734
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Spearfish's violent crime rate is 263.6 per 100,000 residents
— 31% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
263.6 /100k
Property Crime
1823.2 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Spearfish is served primarily by Spearfish School District 40-2.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.1:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Spearfish, SD
National Avg
School District
Spearfish School District 40-2
—
Elementary Schools
3
—
Middle Schools
2
—
High Schools
2
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.1:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
45.2%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
95.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Spearfish sees average highs of 35.9°F in January
and 83.6°F in July,
with 26.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 70.5 inches of snow per year.
Spearfish's cost of living index is 95, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Spearfish roughly 5% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $271,400 and median rent is $913/month.
Spearfish's violent crime rate is 263.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1823.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Spearfish are operated by Spearfish School District 40-2.
The district has 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.1:1. 45.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Spearfish, SD has a population of 12,268, a median household income of $58,734, and an unemployment rate of 2.3%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Spearfish averages 35.9°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 26.4 inches
with about 70.5 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Spearfish, SD is covered by 3 ZIP codes: 57783, 57793, 57799.
The population of Spearfish, South Dakota is 12,268 with a median age of 38.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Spearfish: cost of living index 95 (100 = US average), median home $271,400, median household income $58,734, crime index 76 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Spearfish side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
