Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
26% of residents are 65 or older in Scotland, above both the South Dakota town median (19%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). Only one of the 34 South Dakota towns we compare has a lower going rate for rent than Scotland. Its National Register listings include Methodist Episcopal Church and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Scotland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Scotland beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 150 in 1880, a peak of 1,234 in 1920, 785 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1898 on.
7 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Scotland, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Scotland.
In Scotland, the July high is 86°F, above South Dakota’s towns (85°F) and close to U.S. towns (85°F).
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Public schools: the Scotland School District 04-3. 3 public schools serve Scotland, with 262 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland Elementary - 02Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 114 | D |
| Scotland High School - 01Largest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 64 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
27% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across South Dakota. Scotland’s age of the median resident stands at 40.3 years.
| Scotland | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 27% | 33% | 29% |
| Median age | 40.3 years | 39.5 years | 40.5 years |
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.2 points. Across South Dakota, 49.2% of residents are women.
| Scotland | SD | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.5% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.6% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.6% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.9% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.2% | 10.7% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.7% | 11% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 13.4% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.2% | 6.8% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32% | 29% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.4% | 19.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.2% | 12.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.7% | 21.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.5% | 10% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 800, single groups can be off by several points
For most workers, Scotland is a place to come home to: only 12% work in town. In Scotland, the average commute is 18 minutes. Half of commuters travel less than 23 miles. Among residents locally, 14% live below the poverty line.
| Scotland | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 29% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $72,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Scotland is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Only 3 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Scotland. 14% of adults in Scotland report frequent mental distress; 29% sleep under 7 hours. In Scotland, 16% of adults binge drink. The town does better than the South Dakota average on 2 of 26 CDC measures and worse on 7.
| Scotland | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 10% | 12% |
| What stands out | Scotland | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.7% | 75.9% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 88.2% | 84.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.9% | 9.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Federal aid has come to Scotland households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2019. Compared with 54% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is lower. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 27% come from inland flooding and 24% from drought.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Scotland’s density of trails comes in at 0.1 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Scotland City Park, at 32 acres. Trails total 0.1 miles in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scotland City Park | — | 32 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Scotland; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Scotland residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
7 places in Scotland on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in South Dakota, United States
Scotland is a city in Bon Homme County, South Dakota, United States. Its population was 785 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Scotland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
