Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 651, laid out in 1908.
First National Bank of Norden is on the National Register of Historic Places. Lake Norden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Lake Norden beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 202 in 1910, 554 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1921 and 2 maps from 1969 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lake Norden, 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 Lake Norden.
In Lake Norden, 19% of working residents work locally. This South Dakota town had 605 jobs in 2023, up 253 from 2013. 6.3% of residents live below the poverty line in the town, below both the South Dakota town median (9.5%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). The median commute is under 15 miles.
| Lake Norden | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 29% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Only 3 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a lower July high than Lake Norden. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 4° and about 34 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The share of adults 18 to 64 in Lake Norden who have no health insurance: 9.9%. This South Dakota town beats the South Dakota average on 2 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 19% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in the town, where South Dakota’s towns sit at 22% and U.S. towns at 23%. Two figures for adults here: 29% sleep under 7 hours, 15% report frequent mental distress.
| Lake Norden | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 22% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 19% | 16% |
| What stands out | Lake Norden | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 71% | 65.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.1% | 75.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.1% | 9.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
34% of Lake Norden’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 23%. Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 59% of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Lake Norden households in 4 declared disasters; the latest was in 2019.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
67% of households live in a home they own in the town. In Lake Norden, the rent at the middle of the market is $1,089 a month.
| Lake Norden | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 67% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,089 a month | $962 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
None within 15 miles of Lake Norden; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Lake Norden residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
Where Lake Norden’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in South Dakota, United States
Lake Norden is a city in Hamlin County, South Dakota, United States. It is part of the Watertown, South Dakota Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 554 at the 2020 census. Lake Norden was laid out in 1908, and named after a lake near the town site. In May 2023, a fire destroyed the city's volunteer fire department.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Lake Norden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.