Walla Lutheran Church · National Register of Historic Places
Lien Township’s story
Lien Township in pictures
The archive holds 2 maps from 1917 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Lien TownshipSD
A town of 122.
4 bordering townsMap →
Walla Lutheran Church · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0
Is Lien Township a good place to live?
35% of the land in Lien Township is conserved, above both South Dakota’s towns (3.3%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Lien Township has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Walla Lutheran Church and New Effington Rest Stop Tipi. Lien Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
122 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Victor TownshipMinnesota TownshipElma TownshipHart TownshipLien Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lien Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lien Township, and how to reach them.
PowerOtter Tail Power11.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBDM Rural Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Lien Township’s trash rules yet
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 hereRoberts County AuditorRoberts County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP codes57255, 5804157255 98% · 58041 2%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 Lien Township.
Outdoors
Conserved land covers nearly a third of Lien Township
Among 33 South Dakota towns, just one has a lower concentration of trails than Lien Township. Trails run 2.3 miles in 7 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Loberg Waterfowl Production Area, at 480 acres.
34.8%conserved
34.8%
conserved · 10,625 of 30,488 acres
2.3 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Loberg Waterfowl Production Area | — | 480 |
| 2. Stowe Waterfowl Production Area | — | 159 |
| 3. Kutter-Bredvik Waterfowl Production Area | — | 142 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Who lives here
Fewer children than South Dakota overall
In Lien Township, the midpoint age is 56.2 years, above both the South Dakota town median (39.5 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Children under 18 are 9% of residents (24% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 51% of residents (36% statewide). South Dakota has nearly a third of adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more; here it is 31%.
56.2median age · SD 38
| Lien Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.2 years | 39.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 31% | 33% | 29% |
Lien TownshipSouth DakotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
27%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma0%
High school29%
Some college26%
Associate’s15%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate5%
Women and men · all residents
43% women, 57% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8 points. Across South Dakota, 49.2% of residents are women.
| Lien Township | SD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.5% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 0% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.2% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.7% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.2% | 10.7% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 26.6% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 24.5% | 11% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.3% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.5% | 29% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.6% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.1% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.6% | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 5.2% | 10% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 100, single groups can be off by several points
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter6–24°
Spring32–54°
Summer57–80°
Fall35–56°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Compared with most of South Dakota and the rest of the country, more of Lien Township’s adults have obesity
Lien Township: 34% of adults sleep under 7 hours. Only 2 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Lien Township.
| Lien Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | – | 33% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 10% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. South Dakota
0 better24 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Lien Township | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 8.3% | 6.7% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.3% | 3.5% |
| More adults with diabetes | 14.1% | 11.7% |
Coteau Des Prairies Health Care System
17.1 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
Lien Township has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
On expected storm and flood damage, Lien Township sits below nearly three fifths of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Lien Township break down as 38% from inland flooding and 26% from cold waves.
41risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lien Township
16pages on Lien Township
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Lien Township; the nearest are
Sisseton Wahpeton CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Sisseton23.5 mi$4,330 in-state tuitionNorth Dakota State College of ScienceCommunity college · Public · Wahpeton, ND30.3 mi$5,974 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Lien Township residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
Questions about Lien Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lien Township, SD a good place to live?
Lien Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.