Shelby TownshipSD
A town of 81, settled in 1883.
Is Shelby Township a good place to live?
36% of the land in Shelby Township is conserved, where South Dakota’s towns sit at 3.3% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. The biggest park or preserve is Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, at 4,564 acres. Shelby Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
81 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Shelby Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Shelby Township, 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Shelby Township.
Nearly a third of Shelby Township is conserved land
Count the trails in 1 park or preserve and they come to 9.7 miles. Shelby Township’s concentration of trails comes in at 0.2 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge | 0.5 mi | 4,564 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The climate in Shelby Township brings four seasons and pleasant summers
The town’s typical July afternoon high is 83°F, against 85°F in South Dakota’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The biggest natural risk in Shelby Township is inland flooding, at a low overall level
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 63% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in Shelby Township, 38% come from inland flooding and 33% from cold waves.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Shelby Township stands out in South Dakota and nationally: a smaller share of its adults have been diagnosed with depression
For adults in Shelby Township, the share who sleep under 7 hours is 28%. Among 36 South Dakota towns, just 2 have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Shelby Township. CDC measures, 26 in all: Shelby Township beats South Dakota on 9 and trails on 5.
| Shelby Township | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 22% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 81% | 76% | 79% |
| What stands out | Shelby Township | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults in frequent mental distress | 12.4% | 15.3% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 15.9% | 18.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.2% | 9.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Shelby Township
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Shelby Township; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Shelby Township residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
Questions about Shelby Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Shelby Township, SD a good place to live?
Shelby Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.