Only 2 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher average trip to work than Parker Township. Parker Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

279 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns

Parker · 2 mi Hurley Township · 5 mi Brothersfield Township · 5 mi Chancellor · 6 mi Germantown Township · 6 mi Marion Township · 6 mi

Germantown TownshipMarion TownshipBrothersfield TownshipHurley TownshipParker Township

Bridge No. 63-137-090-Parker · National Register of Historic Places

Parker Township’s story

143 years in pictures

1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.

1883Parker Township is settled

Explore the history →

Getting set up

Moving to Parker Township: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Parker Township, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerXcel Energy13.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterTm Rural Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet4 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Parker Township’s trash rules yet

SchoolsParker School District 60-4Which 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 hereTurner County AuditorTurner County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023

ZIP code5705357053 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 Parker Township.

Work & commute

Most of Parker Township’s workers commute out: the town has 0.5 jobs for each of them

Most working residents leave Parker Township for work: only 0% work in town. At $103,000, Parker Township’s median household income is against $72,000 in South Dakota’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. The top destinations are Sioux Falls (38%), Parker (10%) and Marion (7%).

0%work in town

Where working residents work

In Parker Township0%

Sioux Falls38%

Parker10%

Marion7%

Tea4%

19 mi

median commute distance

jobs based in Parker Township

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageParker Township’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here56 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work0% work in Parker Township Commute times24 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 19 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Parker Township

Parker Township has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 8° and about 41 inches of snow falls in a winter.

41″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter11–30°

Spring35–58°

Summer60–83°

Fall37–60°

Oct 7

typical first frost

Apr 30

typical last frost

+1.0°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageParker Township’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 85°, January lows 8°Rain & snow41″ of snow a winter · 27 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Parker Township is

Parker Township beats the South Dakota average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 29% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Parker Township, close to South Dakota’s towns (30%) and below U.S. towns (36%). 18% of adults binge drink in Parker Township.

	Parker Township	South Dakota towns	U.S. towns
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	29%	30%	36%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	18%	19%	16%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	15%	15%	17%
Depression (CDC PLACES)	21%	22%	23%

26 measures vs. South Dakota

1 better25 too close to call0 worse

What stands out	Parker Township	SD
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth	9.3%	12.7%

Pioneer Memorial Hospital - Cah

14.8 mi away · emergency room

1 of 3

care shortages: mental health

Full pageParker Township’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby14.8 miles to an ER · Pioneer Memorial Hospital - Cah How adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than SD on 1 of 26

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

Natural hazards

Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Parker Township

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities.

49risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves

Full pageParker Township’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters23 disaster declarations · Declared for the county Get ready1.6 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Outdoors

Parker Township has set aside 0.7% of its land for conservation

3.1 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves. Among 33 South Dakota towns, just 3 have a lower trail density than Parker Township.

0.7%conserved

	Parker Township	South Dakota towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	0.1 miles per square mile	0.6	0.4
Conserved land	0.7%	3.3%	4.3%

0.7%

conserved · 158 of 22,033 acres

3.1 mi

of trails · 0.1 per sq mi

Full pageParker Township’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map3.1 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walkPick a walk Conserved land0.7% conserved · 158 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Parker Township?”

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Parker Township

17pages on Parker Township

The big questions

HealthBetter than SD on 1 of 26 CDC measures Cost of livingWork & commute$103K median household income · 56 jobs here Natural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

Outdoors3 mi of trails · 1% conserved land PlacesAttractions10 nearby · Porter Sculpture Park 20 mi LibraryParker Public Library Colleges

The story

HistorySettled 1883 · 1 on the National Register Town Hall & politicsClimate85° summer highs · 41″ of snow

Day to day

NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 57053 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Parker Township; the nearest are

Southeast Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Sioux Falls20.5 mi$7,650 in-state tuition University of South DakotaUniversity or college · Public · Vermillion42.5 mi$9,432 in-state tuition

About 0 of every 100 Parker Township residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave Parker Township for work

Where Parker Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

56jobs based in Parker Township

0%of working residents work in town

19 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Parker Township

City in South Dakota, U.S.

Official town website ↗

Parker is a city in Turner County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,194 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Turner County. Parker is bordered on its eastern side by South Dakota State Highway 19. Its northern side is bordered by South Dakota State Highway 44. Parker is located approximately 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Chancellor, 42 miles (68 km) east of Parkston and 41 miles (66 km) south of Madison.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1883
Area: 1.2 sq mi
Elevation: 1,345 ft
ZIP code: 57053
Area code: 605

Questions about Parker Township

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Parker Township, SD a good place to live?

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

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