Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Prairie City

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
South Dakota›Perkins County
CompareFollow

Prairie CitySD

Some 20 people live in this town, in South Dakota.

Population
20
Census survey, 2020–24
Median age
12.3
years

Is Prairie City a good place to live?

100% of households are owner-occupiers in Prairie City, against 68% in South Dakota’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns. Prairie City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

20 people, and everyone knows the way

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

Nearby towns
Strool-Plateau Township · 2 miVail Township · 5 miMaltby Township · 7 miScotch Cap Township · 9 miCash Township · 10 miGlendo Township · 12 mi

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Prairie City.

Climate

Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Prairie City

40″snow a winter

The range runs from 8° on a January night to 85° on a July afternoon, with about 40 inches of snow a winter.

Typical low → high °F

Winter10–31°
Spring30–55°
Summer54–82°
Fall32–58°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 10
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pagePrairie City’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page
A year of weatherJuly highs 85°, January lows 8°Rain & snow40″ of snow a winter · 17 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.3° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Prairie City is

13% of adults have diabetes in Prairie City. Of 26 CDC measures, Prairie City beats the South Dakota average on 2 and trails it on 1.

Prairie CityTypical South Dakota townTypical U.S. town
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)29%30%36%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)17%14%14%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)13%10%12%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)18%19%16%
26 measures vs. South Dakota
2 better23 too close to call1 worse
What stands outPrairie CitySD
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth8.7%12.7%
More adults getting cholesterol checked87%84.8%
More adults who have had cancer10.2%9.2%
West River Regional Medical Center
33.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pagePrairie City’s health reportOpen the full Health report
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby33.4 miles to an ER · West River Regional Medical CenterHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than SD on 2 of 26

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

Natural hazards

Top of a moderate hazard risk in Prairie City: cold waves

54risk score of 100

Compared with 54% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Prairie City is higher. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 41% come from cold waves and 29% from inland flooding.

FEMA risk score
54Moderate riskLowerHigher
Cold wavesInland floodingWildfire
Full pagePrairie City’s hazards pageOpen the full Hazards page
What it facesModerate riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters17 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready8.6 events a year, on average · Ready for cold waves

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Prairie City

10pages on Prairie City
The big questions
HealthBetter than SD on 2 of 26 CDC measuresNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 54% of U.S. communities · cold waves
Out and about
PlacesLibraryBison Public Library
The story
Climate85° summer highs · 40″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 57649Town SquareNeighbors
Getting set up

Moving to Prairie City: who provides what

Prairie City is unincorporated, so Perkins County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerMontana-Dakota Utilities13.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPerkins County Rural WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesPerkins CountyPerkins County provides services here
SchoolsBison School District 52-1Which 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 herePerkins County AuditorPerkins County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code5764957649 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.

After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Prairie City; the nearest are

Black Hills State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Spearfish88.5 mi$8,764 in-state tuitionWestern Dakota Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Rapid City102.4 mi$8,294 in-state tuition

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

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

About Prairie City

Unincorporated community in South Dakota, United States

Prairie City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Perkins County, South Dakota, United States. One of many rural settlements in Perkins County, the town was founded in 1946 by former residents of Strool. The population of the CDP was 25 at the 2020 census.

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

Elevation
2,841 ft
ZIP code
57649
Area code
605

Questions about Prairie City

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Prairie City, SD a good place to live?

Prairie City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Some 20 people live in this town, in South Dakota.

Prairie City is in here

Say something about Prairie City.

Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.

Post to Prairie City’s town square →