HumboldtSD
A town of 569, settled in 1889.
Is Humboldt a good place to live?
No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a higher average trip to work than Humboldt. Humboldt has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
569 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Humboldt: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Humboldt, 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Humboldt.
More than half of Humboldt’s working residents commute to Sioux Falls
Most working residents leave Humboldt for work: only 2% work in town. 0.5% of residents live below the poverty line in Humboldt, below both South Dakota’s towns (9.5%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Jobs based in Humboldt grew to 138 in 2023, 54 more than in 2013.
| Humboldt | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.4% | 29% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.5% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $95,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 12% | 6.6% | 11% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The schools Humboldt’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the West Central School District 49-7. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Central Humboldt Elementary - 02Largest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 310 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Humboldt faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by tornadoes
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 74% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Younger than South Dakota overall
People 65 and older are 9% of residents (18% statewide); children under 18 are 32% of residents (24% statewide). At 33.1 years, Humboldt’s median age is below both the South Dakota town median (39.5 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). 34% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across South Dakota.
| Humboldt | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 9.4% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 33.1 years | 39.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 34% | 33% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 35% and 60% women
The Census survey reached too few of Humboldt’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±12.7 points. Across South Dakota, 49.2% of residents are women.
| Humboldt | SD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 20.6% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.6% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.1% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 20.2% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.8% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.9% | 10.7% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.3% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.4% | 11% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 2% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.2% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.2% | 29% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.8% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.7% | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10% | 10% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 600, single groups can be off by several points
In Humboldt, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Humboldt has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 8° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Humboldt is
Humboldt beats the South Dakota average on 10 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 21% of adults binge drink in Humboldt.
| Humboldt | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 12% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 19% |
| What stands out | Humboldt | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.8% | 12.7% |
| Fewer adults with COPD | 4.9% | 6.7% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 72.8% | 75.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Humboldt’s typical home value is about $334K
The typical Humboldt home is worth about $334,000, up 3% in a year, 5% above the South Dakota typical home. 89% of Humboldt households own their home. Among 34 South Dakota towns, just 3 have a lower median rent than Humboldt.
| Humboldt | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 89% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $745 a month | $962 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Great Plains Zoo and 4 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Humboldt. Close and well known come first.
17 mi Zoo & aquariumGreat Plains Zoo
19 mi MuseumWashington Pavilion of Arts and Science5 mi MuseumPorter Sculpture Park
18 mi MuseumPettigrew Home & Museum
37 mi MuseumJasper MuseumPhoto credits
Great Plains Zoo: Jake DeGroot, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science: Jon Platek, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Pettigrew Home & Museum: Jerry from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Jasper Museum: Heritage Preservation Department - MNHS, CC BY-SA 2.0
Everything we know about Humboldt
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Humboldt; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Humboldt residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
98% of working residents leave Humboldt for work
Where Humboldt’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Humboldt
City in South Dakota, United States
Humboldt is a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 579 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,703 ft
- ZIP code
- 57035
- Area code
- 605
Questions about Humboldt
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Humboldt, SD a good place to live?
Humboldt has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Humboldt, SD known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Larry Pressler and Karl Mundt.