Wessington is a small town of 203 in South Dakota, with a median household income of $44,500
.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Wessington stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Wessington is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Wessington 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: 87.6
Wessington's overall cost of living index is 87.6,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Wessington costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Wessington, SD
National Avg
Median Home Value
$72,500
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$833
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
84.4%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$44,500
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Wessington's violent crime rate is 233.0 per 100,000 residents
— 39% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
233.0 /100k
Property Crime
1208.5 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Wessington, 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
16.5%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
97.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Wessington sees average highs of 26.2°F in January
and 84.8°F in July,
with 24.5 inches of annual precipitation
and 43.7 inches of snow per year.
Wessington's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Wessington roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $72,500 and median rent is $833/month.
Wessington's violent crime rate is 233.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1208.5 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.
Wessington, SD has a population of 203, a median household income of $44,500, 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.
Wessington averages 26.2°F in January and 84.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 24.5 inches
with about 43.7 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Wessington, SD is covered by 1 ZIP code: 57381.
The population of Wessington, South Dakota is 203 with a median age of 33.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Wessington: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $72,500, median household income $44,500, crime index 60 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Wessington side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
