SDMap-doton-Bancroft, 2004
Bancroft’s story
137 years in pictures
Census counts: 136 in 1910, 13 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1953 on.
- 1889Bancroft is settled
BancroftSD
A town of 13, settled in 1889.
Is Bancroft a good place to live?
Bancroft’s average trip to work is 56 minutes, above both the South Dakota town median (17 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Bancroft has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
13 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bancroft: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bancroft, and how to reach them.
PowerNorthWestern Energy13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKingbrook II Rural Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bancroft’s trash rules yet
Register to voteIn personSouth Dakota has no online registration; you can register in person until 15 days before Election Day or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereKingsbury County AuditorKingsbury County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code5735357353 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bancroft.
Natural hazards
Bancroft faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Bancroft, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Bancroft has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 5° and about 39 inches of snow falls in a winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter8–27°
Spring33–56°
Summer59–81°
Fall36–58°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 5
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Bancroft is
Bancroft tracks South Dakota closely on all 26 CDC measures. 29% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Bancroft, below both South Dakota’s towns (30%) and U.S. towns (36%). 15% of Bancroft adults report frequent mental distress.
| Bancroft | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 19% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 76% | 76% | 79% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
0 better26 too close to call0 worse
Avera De Smet Memorial Hospital - Cah
11.7 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bancroft
13pages on Bancroft
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bancroft; the nearest are
Lake Area Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Watertown43 mi$6,718 in-state tuitionDakota State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Madison45.6 mi$9,654 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Bancroft residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
About Bancroft
Town in South Dakota, United States
Bancroft is a town in northwest Kingsbury County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 13 at the 2020 census, down from 19 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,572 ft
- Area code
- 605
Questions about Bancroft
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bancroft, SD a good place to live?
Bancroft has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.