Main St. looking south, 1909
Bridgewater’s story
146 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1909.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1880Bridgewater is settled
Photo: Runner1928 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
517
2025 Census estimate · +1.2% since 2020
Typical home
$248K
+6.8% in a year
Household income
$47K
median
Median age
48.7
years
Jobs based here
98
A commuter town
Is Bridgewater a good place to live?
31% of residents are 65 or older in Bridgewater, above both South Dakota’s towns (19%) and U.S. towns (18%). No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Bridgewater. First Presbyterian Church is on the National Register of Historic Places. Bridgewater has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
517 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Bridgewater TownshipBridgewater
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bridgewater: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bridgewater, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy13.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBridgewaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFridayTrash dayTown site
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 hereMcCook County AuditorMcCook County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code5731957319 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 Bridgewater.
Work & commute
Bridgewater stands out in South Dakota and nationally: the median household income there is lower
Bridgewater’s average commute comes in at 24 minutes. Most working residents leave Bridgewater for work: only 4% work in town. The top destinations are Sioux Falls (37%), Canistota (7%) and Canistota Township (6%).
4%work in town
| Bridgewater | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.6% | 29% | 8% |
| Median household income | $47,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Bridgewater4%
Sioux Falls37%
Canistota7%
Canistota Township6%
Mitchell3%
37 mi
median commute distance
98
jobs based in Bridgewater
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Bridgewater’s kids attend
Public schools: the Bridgewater-Emery 30-3 school district. Its one school is below. 143 students attend the town’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater-Emery Elementary - 02Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 143 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts
Housing
A typical Bridgewater home is worth about $248K
Only 2 of the 34 South Dakota towns we compare have a lower median rent than Bridgewater. Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 6.8% in value. For households in the town, the share who are owner-occupiers is 72%.
$248KZillow home value
| Bridgewater | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $729 a month | $962 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 68% | 73% |
Typical home value
Bridgewater$248K
South Dakota$318K
+6.8%
value change, 1 year
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Bridgewater
July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 8° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–30°
Spring35–58°
Summer60–82°
Fall37–60°
Oct 7
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Bridgewater is
Among adults in Bridgewater, 29% sleep under 7 hours. The town beats the South Dakota average on 3 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 3. Only 3 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Bridgewater.
| Bridgewater | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 10% | 12% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
3 better20 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Bridgewater | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults in frequent mental distress | 13.1% | 15.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.9% | 75.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.9% | 9.2% |
Freeman Medical Center - Cah
14.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Bridgewater faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
63% of Bridgewater’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 17%. Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 55% of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Bridgewater households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2019.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bridgewater
18pages on Bridgewater
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bridgewater; the nearest are
Mitchell Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Mitchell27 mi$7,524 in-state tuitionDakota State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Madison37.3 mi$9,654 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Bridgewater residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Bridgewater for work
Where Bridgewater’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
98jobs based in Bridgewater
4%of working residents work in town
37 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Bridgewater
City in South Dakota, United States
Bridgewater is a city in southwestern McCook County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 511 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,417 ft
- ZIP code
- 57319
- Area code
- 605
Questions about Bridgewater
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bridgewater, SD a good place to live?
Bridgewater has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Bridgewater, SD known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Sparky Anderson and Earle Bunker.