Wallace is a small town of 68 in South Dakota, with a median household income of $68,750
.
Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is
14% below the national average.
Strengths:
Wallace stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Wallace is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Wallace 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: 85.5
Wallace's overall cost of living index is 85.5,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Wallace costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
Metric
Wallace, SD
National Avg
Median Home Value
$85,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$575
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
79.2%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$68,750
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Wallace's violent crime rate is 271.3 per 100,000 residents
— 29% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
271.3 /100k
Property Crime
960.4 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Wallace, 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
21.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
93.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Wallace sees average highs of 20.4°F in January
and 80.9°F in July,
with 23.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 41.8 inches of snow per year.
Wallace's cost of living index is 86, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Wallace roughly 14% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $85,800 and median rent is $575/month.
Wallace's violent crime rate is 271.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 960.4 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.
Wallace, SD has a population of 68, a median household income of $68,750, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
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.
Wallace averages 20.4°F in January and 80.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 23.8 inches
with about 41.8 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Wallace, SD is covered by 1 ZIP code: 57272.
The population of Wallace, South Dakota is 68 with a median age of 43.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Wallace: cost of living index 86 (100 = US average), median home $85,800, median household income $68,750, crime index 61 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Wallace side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.