SDMap-doton-LaPlant, 2004
La Plant’s story
116 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1951 on.
- 1910La Plant is laid out
La PlantSD
A town of 240, laid out in 1910.
Is La Plant a good place to live?
97% of residents live below the poverty line in La Plant, against 9.5% in South Dakota’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a lower owner-occupancy rate than La Plant. La Plant has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
240 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Getting set up
Moving to La Plant: who provides what
La Plant is unincorporated, so Dewey County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerMoreau-Grand Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterTri-County Rural Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesDewey CountyDewey County provides services here
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 hereDewey County AuditorDewey County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code5765257652 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 La Plant.
Schools
The schools La Plant’s kids attend
Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to Tiospaye Topa School. 166 students attend La Plant’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiospaye Topa SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 166 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
About one in three of La Plant’s working residents commute to North Eagle Butte
The median commute is under 30 miles. The top destinations are North Eagle Butte (30%), Timber Lake (21%) and Eagle Butte (16%).
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In La Plant0%
North Eagle Butte30%
Timber Lake21%
Eagle Butte16%
Mott2%
30 mi
median commute distance
0
jobs based in La Plant
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in La Plant
July afternoons reach 86° and January nights drop to 7°.
86°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–29°
Spring32–56°
Summer57–83°
Fall35–59°
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
86°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A larger share of adults smoke cigarettes in La Plant than in most of South Dakota or the rest of the country
Of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have obesity than La Plant. La Plant: 38% of adults get no exercise outside work. On the CDC’s 26 measures, La Plant is ahead of South Dakota on 1 and behind on 18.
| La Plant | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 16% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 10% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 12% | 14% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
1 better7 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | La Plant | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.4% | 9.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 41.2% | 12.7% |
Eagle Butte Indian Health Service Hospital
21.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: moderate risk in La Plant, mostly cold waves
Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in 55% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in La Plant once, in 2019. FEMA puts 84% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to cold waves, and 9% to inland flooding.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland flooding
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about La Plant
13pages on La Plant
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of La Plant; the nearest are
About 6 of every 100 La Plant residents are enrolled in college, about the same as South Dakota.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave La Plant for work
Where La Plant’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
0jobs based in La Plant
0%of working residents work in town
30 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About La Plant
Census-designated place in South Dakota, United States
La Plant is a census-designated place (CDP) in Dewey County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 167 at the 2020 census. It is within the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. La Plant was laid out in 1910, and named in honor of a local cattleman.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 9.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,972 ft
- Area code
- 605
Questions about La Plant
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is La Plant, SD a good place to live?
La Plant has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.