Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
George Pfutzenreuter House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Hecla has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Hecla beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 160 in 1900, a peak of 558 in 1930, 193 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1910 and 2 maps from 1896 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hecla, 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 Hecla.
Hecla’s typical journey to work is 16 minutes, below both the South Dakota town median (17 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). 2.7% of Hecla residents live below the poverty line. For half of commuters, work is under 33 miles away. The top destinations are Aberdeen (40%), Brookings (7%) and Sioux Falls (5%).
| Hecla | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Hecla’s midsummer high stands at 83°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Flood insurance has paid out on 2 claims in Hecla since 2009. Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 63% of U.S. communities. 38% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 33%. One declared disaster, in 2007, has brought federal aid to Hecla households.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
42% of Hecla adults have high blood pressure, against 31% in South Dakota’s towns and 35% across U.S. towns. Only one of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare has a lower share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Hecla; what’s more, in Hecla, 13% of adults smoke cigarettes. The town beats the South Dakota average on 9 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 7.
| Hecla | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 19% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 84% | 76% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 31% | 35% |
| What stands out | Hecla | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.5% | 12.7% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.7% | 18.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.5% | 9.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Hecla; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Hecla residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
Where Hecla’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in South Dakota, United States
Hecla is a city in Brown County, South Dakota, United States, located only a few miles south of the North Dakota border. The population was 193 at the 2020 census. State Highway 37 runs along the east side of town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hecla has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Clarence Schutte and Robert Chamberlin.