Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 930, laid out in 1911.
34% of residents are under 18 in Martin, where South Dakota’s towns sit at 22% and U.S. towns at 22%. Among 34 South Dakota towns, just 1 have a lower median rent than Martin. Martin’s trail density is 1.5 miles per square mile, above both the South Dakota town median (0.6) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Inland Theater is on the National Register of Historic Places. Martin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 720 in 1930, 938 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1940 and a map from 1981 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Martin, 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 Martin.
Martin’s average trip to work is 10 minutes. Among 36 South Dakota towns, just 2 have a lower median household income than Martin. 33% of working residents work locally in Martin.
| Martin | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 10 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 33% | 29% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $54,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Bennett County School District 03-1.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bennett County Elementary School - 03Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 217 | D |
| Bennett County High School - 01Largest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 125 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
The typical Martin home is worth about $176,000, up 5.9% in a year, 45% below the South Dakota typical home. 64% of Martin households own their home.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The FEMA risk score in Martin is 22 of 100.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Children under 18 are 34% of residents (24% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 18% of residents (22% statewide). 38% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across South Dakota.
| Martin | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.3 years | 39.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 16% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 38% | 33% | 29% |
63% women, 37% men
About 60 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.7 points). Across South Dakota, 49.2% of residents are women.
| Martin | SD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 18.5% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.3% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.4% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.1% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 17% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 5.7% | 10.7% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.5% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.2% | 11% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.3% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.2% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.6% | 29% | 26% |
| Some college | 13.9% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.8% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 28.7% | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.8% | 10% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 900, single groups can be off by several points
Martin has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 13° and about 48 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
48 crimes were reported in Martin in 2023: 35 property and 13 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Martin is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Martin beats the South Dakota average on 0 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 7. Only 2 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Martin.
| Martin | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 10% | 12% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 14% |
| What stands out | Martin | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.6% | 3.5% |
| More adults with diabetes | 14.7% | 11.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.3% | 6.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brooks Memorial Park | — | 6 |
| 2. Hodson Memorial Park | 0.2 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Martin; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Martin residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
1,071 counted in 2010 and 938 in 2020; an estimated 930 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
City in South Dakota, United States
Martin is a city and the county seat of Bennett County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 938 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Martin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Martin was laid out in 1911 and has 1 place on the National Register of Historic Places. 2 notable people were born here, including Vine Deloria, Jr. and Jay Novacek.