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South Dakota›Fall River County

OralSD

Population 55: a town settled in 1894.

Is Oral a good place to live?

64% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Oral, against 33% in South Dakota’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a higher age of the median resident than Oral. Oral has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

55 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 Oral: who provides what

Oral is unincorporated, so Fall River County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerBlack Hills Energy15.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFall River Wud water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesFall River CountyFall River County provides services here
SchoolsHot Springs School District 23-2Which school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereFall River County AuditorFall River County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code5776657766 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 Oral.

Natural hazards

Top of a very high hazard risk in Oral: inland flooding

The FEMA hazard score for Oral comes to 83 of 100. Expected losses in Oral break down as 40% from inland flooding and 37% from wildfires.

83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
83Very high riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingWildfireCold waves

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Oral, a typical July afternoon runs hotter than in the typical South Dakota or U.S. town

Expect cold, snowy winters and warm summers in Oral, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 14° and about 37 inches of snow falls in a winter.

37″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter14–40°
Spring32–61°
Summer56–86°
Fall34–64°
Sep 27
typical first frost
May 15
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

Oral stands out in South Dakota and nationally: a larger share of its adults have high blood pressure

Among adults in Oral, 17% smoke cigarettes. No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Oral. In Oral, 16% of adults have diabetes, and 14% binge drink. Only 2 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Oral.

OralSouth Dakota townsU.S. towns
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)45%31%35%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)16%10%12%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)14%19%16%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)13%15%17%
26 measures vs. South Dakota
5 better13 too close to call8 worse
What stands outOralSD
Fewer binge drinkers13.5%18.8%
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth9.5%12.7%
More adults with COPD10.5%6.7%
Fall River Hospital - Cah
11 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Nearby attractions

Mount Rushmore National Memorial and 11 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Oral. Close and well known come first.

All 21 attractions →
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Mount Rushmore National Memorial: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Crazy Horse Memorial: Jeffreylcooke, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Badlands National Park: Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wind Cave National Park: USGS/USGov, Public domain · Custer State Park: Guimir, Public domain · Black Elk Peak: BHrock at English Wikipedia, Public domain

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Oral

13pages on Oral
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Oral; the nearest are

Questions about Oral

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Oral, SD a good place to live?

Oral has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.