Hand County, South Dakota (1892), 1892
Bates Township’s story
140 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1892 and 2 maps from 1973 on.
- 1886Bates Township is settled
Bates TownshipSD
A town of 40, settled in 1886.
Is Bates Township a good place to live?
Bates Township’s January low is 8°F, close to South Dakota’s towns (9°F) and below U.S. towns (22°F). Bates Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
40 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Spring Lake TownshipRose Hill TownshipHarmony TownshipBurr Oak TownshipMarlar TownshipBates Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bates Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bates Township, and how to reach them.
PowerNorthWestern Energy13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMid-Dakota Rural WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bates Township’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 hereHand County AuditorHand County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code5738157381 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 Bates Township.
Climate
Bates Township has snowy winters and pleasant summers
The midsummer high for Bates Township comes to 84°F.
45″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–28°
Spring33–55°
Summer58–81°
Fall36–58°
Oct 8
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: high risk in Bates Township, mostly cold waves
Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 62% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in Bates Township, 35% come from cold waves and 24% from inland flooding.
62risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Bates Township is
In Bates Township, 13% of adults report frequent physical distress. The town beats the South Dakota average on 5 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 14% of Bates Township adults report frequent mental distress, below both the South Dakota town median (15%) and the median of U.S. towns (17%).
| Bates Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 22% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 19% | 16% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
5 better17 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Bates Township | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.6% | 12.7% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 70% | 65.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11% | 9.2% |
Avera Weskota Memorial Medical Center - Cah
14.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bates Township
13pages on Bates Township
The big questions
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bates Township; the nearest are
Questions about Bates Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bates Township, SD a good place to live?
Bates Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.