Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 3,512, settled in 1880. 25% more nonprofits per person than the typical South Dakota town.
Few places in the country grade higher. Milbank earns an A, ranked 5th of 35 in South Dakota. Homes are within reach, about $242K for a typical one, or 3.2 years of the county’s $75K median household income, 3% of its land is conserved, and it is more walkable than 83% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a C, is in incomes. 51% of working residents work locally in Milbank, above both South Dakota’s towns (29%) and U.S. towns (8%). Milbank's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 98% of U.S. towns. Milbank has 6 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them First Congregational Church of Milbank and Grant County Courthouse.
Where Milbank beats most towns.
3.2% of the town is conserved land, across 7 parks and preserves.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Dakota), ordered by how far Milbank is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,207 in 1890, 3,544 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1884 and 2 maps from 1973 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Milbank, 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 Milbank.
Milbank pairs an A overall with homes cheaper than the South Dakota norm, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has commutes shorter than most of South Dakota.
2.0 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Lake Farley Park, at 52 acres.
| Milbank | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.2% | 3.3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pribyl Park | 0.9 mi | 20 |
| 2. Lake Farley Park | 0.3 mi | 52 |
| 3. Hurly Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Milbank School District 25-4.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milbank Elementary - 03Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 408 | B |
| Milbank High School - 01Largest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 333 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state tests and graduation
People 65 and older are 29% of residents (18% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (22% statewide). The median age in Milbank is 50 years. 31% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across South Dakota.
| Milbank | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50 years | 39.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 20% | 22% | 22% |
53% women, 47% men
About 88 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.8 points). Across South Dakota, 49.2% of residents are women.
| Milbank | SD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.1% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.6% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.7% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.7% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.8% | 10.7% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.6% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.4% | 11% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 15.9% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.9% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 36.4% | 29% | 26% |
| Some college | 15.1% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.4% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.3% | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.9% | 10% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,500, single groups can be off by several points
Milbank grades A overall with a typical home of about $242K, below the South Dakota typical value; only 2 of the 8 South Dakota towns graded A− or better can say that.
Typical home values rose 11% in the year to September 2026.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Milbank has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Milbank’s July high is 83°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The average commute for its 1,636 working residents takes 9.1 minutes, against 17.8 across South Dakota.
13% of Milbank residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Sioux Falls (5%), Big Stone Township (4%) and Alban Township (4%). Half commute less than 1 miles.
| Milbank | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 9 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Against the 7,735 U.S. towns with household incomes like Milbank’s, it is healthier than 89%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income. Within South Dakota it is less healthy than 74% of the 35 graded towns: South Dakota sets a high bar.
Milbank beats the South Dakota average on 3 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 27% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Milbank. Only 2 of the 35 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Milbank.
| Milbank | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 22% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 31% | 35% |
| What stands out | Milbank | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.4% | 12.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.2% | 75.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.7% | 9.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities. Since 1997, 8 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Milbank.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Milbank; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Milbank residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
6 places in Milbank on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Milbank.
City in South Dakota, United States
Milbank is a city in Grant County, South Dakota, United States, located along the South Fork of the Whetstone River. The population was 3,544 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Grant County. Milbank is the birthplace of American Legion Baseball. The program was created in Milbank in 1925 and is now enjoyed by high school-aged youth on more than five thousand teams in all fifty states.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Milbank.
| Town | SD rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milbank | #5 | A | A+ | — | B+ | B |
| Alban Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Grant Center Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Milbank reports no FBI crime data of its own. Alban Township and Grant Center Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Milbank with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. Milbank grades A overall, better than 92% of U.S. towns and #5 of 35 in South Dakota. It grades B for health and B+ for schools.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
4 notable people were born here, including Jack Manders and Mary A. McClure.
