OglalaSD
A town of 1,071, settled in 1912.
Is Oglala a good place to live?
Oglala’s weakest subject grade is a D− for schools. 69% of residents live below the poverty line in Oglala, above both the South Dakota town median (9.5%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). No town in South Dakota scores lower than Oglala on incomes. On CDC health estimates it is near the bottom nationally. Only 5 of South Dakota’s 85 towns score lower on history. Oglala has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
1,071 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
How Oglala grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Dakota), ordered by how far Oglala is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to Oglala: who provides what
Oglala is unincorporated, so Oglala Lakota County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 Oglala.
Oglala stands out in South Dakota and nationally, with more of its adults who say their health is fair or poor
46% of Oglala adults say their health is fair or poor, against 16% in South Dakota’s towns and 19% across U.S. towns. 28% of adults report frequent mental distress in Oglala. Of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Oglala.
| Oglala | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 16% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 14% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 10% | 12% |
| What stands out | Oglala | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.7% | 9.2% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.8% | 18.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 53.8% | 12.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Oglala’s public schools rank near the bottom of South Dakota
Its public schools are run by the Isna Wica Owayawa school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isna Wica OwayawaLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 230 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state tests and graduation
The FEMA risk score in Oglala is higher than in most of South Dakota or the rest of the country
Oglala’s FEMA risk score is 93 of 100.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of Oglala’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Oglala for work: only 0% work in town. The median household income in Oglala is $21,000. Since 2013, Oglala has added 69 jobs, to 74 in 2023.
| Oglala | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $21,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 14 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Oglala has four seasons and hot summers
Oglala has cold winters and warm summers, with very little rain. Of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare, none has a higher July high than Oglala.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Oglala
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Oglala; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Oglala residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
100% of working residents leave Oglala for work
Where Oglala’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Oglala
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Are Oglala schools good?
The public schools Oglala children attend trail 100% of South Dakota districts on state tests and graduation, a D− School Grade.