Henry-Martinson House · National Register of Historic Places
Volga’s story
147 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1912.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1879Volga is settled
VolgaSD
Volga Auditorium · Photo: Jatakuck · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,458
2025 Census estimate · +16.8% since 2020
Typical home
$345K
+6.2% in a year
Household income
$79K
median
Median age
28.0
years
Jobs based here
511
A commuter town
Is Volga a good place to live?
The best of Volga’s subject grades is an A for health. On health, just 8 of South Dakota’s 85 towns do better. Volga is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 75% of U.S. towns. Only 2 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a lower median age than Volga. Only 5 of South Dakota’s 85 towns score lower on the outdoors. Volga has 4 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Henry-Martinson House and Volga Auditorium. Volga has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
StrongestAHealth
What makes Volga stand out
Where Volga beats most towns.
A growing town
Volga has grown 40% since 2010
1,768 counted in 2010 and 2,113 in 2020; an estimated 2,458 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Volga grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Dakota), ordered by how far Volga is from typical.
HealthBrookings Health System 7.7 miles awayAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 5.3% of households have no carB+Open →Jobs & income$79K median household incomeB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →SchoolsBOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksD−Open →History1 notable person born hereBOpen →Civic life4.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateCold winters, 82° summer afternoons, 36″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 28.0; 46% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Volga: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Volga, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of Volga12.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVolga water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Volga’s trash rules yet
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.govWho runs elections hereBrookings County AuditorBrookings County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code5707157071 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 Volga.
HealthA
On CDC estimates, Volga is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns
Volga beats the South Dakota average on 14 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 21% of adults binge drink in Volga, against 19% in South Dakota’s towns and 16% across U.S. towns. 10% of adults report frequent physical distress in Volga.
88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Volga | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 19% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 12% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 22% | 25% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
14 better12 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Volga | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer smokers | 11.1% | 15.2% |
| Fewer adults in fair or poor health | 12.9% | 17.3% |
Brookings Health System
7.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB
Volga’s public schools outperform 60% of South Dakota districts
Its public schools are run by the Sioux Valley School District 05-5.
60%of SD districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Valley Elementary - 02Largest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 372 | C+ |
| Sioux Valley High School - 01Largest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 214 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
About half of Volga’s working residents commute to Brookings
Most working residents leave Volga for work: only 8% work in town. Volga’s average trip to work is 15 minutes, below both South Dakota’s towns (17 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Jobs based in Volga grew to 511 in 2023, 169 more than in 2013.
8%work in town
| Volga | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 15 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 7.9% | 29% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.1% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 11% | 6.6% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Volga8%
Brookings47%
Sioux Falls9%
Volga Township3%
Watertown3%
8 mi
median commute distance
511
jobs based in Volga
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 75% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Volga, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Volga has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Only 3 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a lower July high than Volga.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter8–26°
Spring32–54°
Summer58–80°
Fall35–57°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade B−
Homes in Volga are worth about $345K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Volga home is worth about $345,000, up 6.2% in a year, 9% above the South Dakota typical home. 53% of Volga households own their home.
$345KZillow home value
| Volga | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 53% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,130 a month | $962 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Volga$345K
South Dakota$318K
+6.2%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Volga
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities.
57risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Volga
18pages on Volga
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Volga
Institute of Lutheran TheologyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Brookings6.6 miSouth Dakota State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Brookings6.9 mi$9,299 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Volga residents are enrolled in college, about the same as South Dakota.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Volga for work
Where Volga’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
511jobs based in Volga
8%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
4 places in Volga on the National Register of Historic Places.
Questions about Volga
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Volga, SD expensive?
That is 4.9 years of the area's median household income ($70,064 across the Brookings, SD area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.