Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 112, settled in 1877.
Central City’s median age is 60.4 years, against 39.5 years in South Dakota’s towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns. No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Central City. St. Lawrence O'Toole Catholic Church is on the National Register of Historic Places. Central City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 1,008 in 1880, 93 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1900 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Central City, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Central City.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 85% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
At 81°F, Central City’s July high is below both South Dakota’s towns (85°F) and U.S. towns (85°F). Central City has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
16% of adults have diabetes in Central City. Only 1 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Central City. 21% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Central City.
| Central City | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 10% | 12% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 31% | 35% |
| What stands out | Central City | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.1% | 75.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.4% | 6.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Central City. Close and well known come first.
Big draw36 mi National MemorialMount Rushmore National Memorial1.9M visitors a year
Big draw38 mi LandmarkCrazy Horse Memorial
36 mi MountainBlack Elk Peak4 mi Ski areaTerry Peak Ski Area28 runs · 1,075 ft vertical5 mi Ski areaDeer Mountain Village52 runs · 615 ft vertical
32 mi Scenic railwayBlack Hills Central RailroadMount Rushmore National Memorial: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Crazy Horse Memorial: Jeffreylcooke, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Black Elk Peak: BHrock at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Black Hills Central Railroad: Eric Friedebach, CC BY 3.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Central City
About 5 of every 100 Central City residents are enrolled in college, about the same as South Dakota.
City in South Dakota, United States
Central City is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 93 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Central City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
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