SDMap-doton-LowerBrule, 2004
Lower Brule’s story
148 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004.
- 1878Lower Brule is settled
Lower BruleSD
A town of 743, settled in 1878.
Population
743
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$22K
Census ACS
Household income
$29K
median
Median age
22.9
years
Jobs based here
146
Balanced
Is Lower Brule a good place to live?
56% of residents live below the poverty line in Lower Brule, where South Dakota’s towns sit at 9.5% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a lower age of the median resident than Lower Brule. Lower Brule has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
743 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Lower Brule: who provides what
Lower Brule is unincorporated, so Lyman County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerWest Central Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterLower Brule Rural Water Supply SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesLyman CountyLyman 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 hereLyman County AuditorLyman County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code5754857548 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 Lower Brule.
Schools
The schools Lower Brule’s kids attend
Its one school is below. Lower Brule Day School runs its public schools. The largest public high school is Lower Brule Day School, with 337 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Brule Day SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 337 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Lower Brule is cold waves, at a high overall level
Compared with 70% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Lower Brule is higher. FEMA puts 62% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to cold waves, and 15% to inland flooding.
70risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingHail
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Lower Brule
Lower Brule’s July high comes in at 88°F.
19″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–32°
Spring34–58°
Summer59–84°
Fall37–61°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
In Lower Brule, the average trip to work runs shorter than in the typical South Dakota or U.S. town
The top destinations are Sioux Falls (4%), West Brule (4%) and Gann Valley (2%). No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a lower typical household income than Lower Brule. Roughly one working resident in four has a job in Lower Brule itself. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Lower Brule dropped by 57, to 146.
26%work in town
| Lower Brule | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 10 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $29,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 26% | 29% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Lower Brule26%
Sioux Falls4%
West Brule4%
Gann Valley2%
Presho1%
4 mi
median commute distance
146
jobs based in Lower Brule
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
Lower Brule stands out in South Dakota and nationally, with more of its adults who report frequent mental distress
Of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Lower Brule. Lower Brule: 40% of adults say their health is fair or poor. CDC measures, 26 in all: Lower Brule beats South Dakota on 2 and trails on 21. Among adults in the town, 40% smoke cigarettes and 50% have obesity.
| Lower Brule | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 16% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 14% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 10% | 12% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
2 better3 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Lower Brule | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.3% | 9.2% |
| Fewer adults with high cholesterol | 28.9% | 34% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 51.9% | 12.7% |
Sanford Chamberlain Medical Center
23.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lower Brule
14pages on Lower Brule
The big questions
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Lower Brule; the nearest are
Sinte Gleska UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Mission74.6 mi$4,714 in-state tuitionMitchell Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Mitchell83.1 mi$7,524 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Lower Brule residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
About Lower Brule
Census-designated place in South Dakota, United States
Lower Brule (Lakota: Khulwíčhaša) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Lyman County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 703 at the 2020 census. The community is located within the Lower Brule Indian Reservation, from which it takes its name.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,444 ft
- ZIP code
- 57548
- Area code
- 605
Questions about Lower Brule
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lower Brule, SD a good place to live?
Lower Brule has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.