New Ulm, Minn., Valley of the Minnesota, 1880
Minnesota Township’s story
Minnesota Township in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1880.
Explore the history →Minnesota TownshipSD
A town of 102.
Is Minnesota Township a good place to live?
26% of the land in Minnesota Township is conserved, above both South Dakota’s towns (3.3%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Kastner Waterfowl Production Area, at 89 acres. Minnesota Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
102 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Lien TownshipClaire CityNorway TownshipEnterprise TownshipElma TownshipDuerr TownshipMinnesota Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Minnesota Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Minnesota 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
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Minnesota 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, 57224, 58053, 5726257255 53% · 57224 20% · 58053 10% · 57262 8%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 Minnesota Township.
Outdoors
Protected land: nearly a quarter of Minnesota Township
Across 5 parks and preserves: 17 miles of trail. In Minnesota Township, the density of trails is 0.4 miles per square mile, below the South Dakota town median (0.6) and near the median of U.S. towns (0.4).
26.3%conserved
26.3%
conserved · 8,051 of 30,650 acres
17 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kastner Waterfowl Production Area | — | 89 |
| 2. Eickman Waterfowl Production Area | — | 78 |
| 3. Pederson Waterfowl Production Area | 0.1 mi | 60 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
The climate in Minnesota Township brings snowy winters and pleasant summers
Summer afternoons peak near 82° in July, and January nights bottom out around 3°; snowfall runs to about 49 inches a winter.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter6–24°
Spring32–53°
Summer58–80°
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 Minnesota Township’s adults have obesity
10% of adults worry about having enough food in Minnesota Township. Only 2 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Minnesota Township. Against the South Dakota average, Minnesota Township comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 9.
| Minnesota 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) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. South Dakota
1 better22 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Minnesota Township | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79% | 75.9% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.4% | 3.5% |
Coteau Des Prairies Health Care System
14.7 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
Top of a moderate hazard risk in Minnesota Township: inland flooding
FEMA puts 38% of Minnesota Township’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 26% to cold waves. Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 59% of U.S. communities.
41risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Minnesota Township
15pages on Minnesota Township
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Minnesota Township; the nearest are
Sisseton Wahpeton CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Sisseton21.3 mi$4,330 in-state tuitionNorth Dakota State College of ScienceCommunity college · Public · Wahpeton, ND34.4 mi$5,974 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Minnesota Township residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
Questions about Minnesota Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Minnesota Township, SD a good place to live?
Minnesota Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.