Wanblee, South Dakota, 2005
Wanblee’s story
111 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1950 on.
- 1915Wanblee is settled
WanbleeSD
With 534 residents, this town was settled in 1915.
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Is Wanblee a good place to live?
53% of residents live below the poverty line in Wanblee, where South Dakota’s towns sit at 9.5% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Wanblee. Wanblee has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
534 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Wanblee: who provides what
Wanblee is unincorporated, so Jackson County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerLaCreek Electric AssnEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterWanblee Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesJackson CountyJackson County provides services here
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 hereJackson County AuditorJackson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code5757757577 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 Wanblee.
Schools
The schools Wanblee’s kids attend
Its one school is below. The public schools here belong to Crazy Horse School. Wanblee’s only public school teaches 270 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crazy Horse SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 270 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Wanblee faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Wanblee once, in 2019. Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in four fifths of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 27% come from cold waves and 25% from inland flooding.
80risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingWildfire
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers: that is Wanblee’s year
Only 3 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher July high than Wanblee. July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 13° and about 38 inches of snow falls in a winter.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–37°
Spring34–59°
Summer58–85°
Fall36–62°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Wanblee has 1.4 jobs for every working resident, and 114 people commute in
The top destinations are Rapid City (9%), Martin (2%) and Herreid (2%). Most working residents leave Wanblee for work: only 16% work in town. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs here rose by 65, to 129. The median commute is under 59 miles.
16%work in town
Where working residents work
In Wanblee16%
Rapid City9%
Martin2%
Herreid2%
Wounded Knee2%
59 mi
median commute distance
129
jobs based in Wanblee
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
More of Wanblee’s adults report frequent mental distress than in the typical South Dakota or U.S. town
72% of adults had a checkup this year in Wanblee. No town among the 36 in South Dakota we compare has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Wanblee. Among adults here, 36% smoke cigarettes and 20% have diabetes. Only 2 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Wanblee.
| Wanblee | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 16% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 10% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 15% | 17% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
1 better4 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Wanblee | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5% | 9.2% |
| More smokers | 36.4% | 15.2% |
Bennett County Hospital and Nursing Home - Cah
28 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wanblee
15pages on Wanblee
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Wanblee; the nearest are
Oglala Lakota CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Kyle32.3 mi$2,684 in-state tuitionWestern Dakota Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Rapid City83.4 mi$8,294 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Wanblee residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
About Wanblee
Census-designated place in South Dakota, United States
Wanblee (Lakota: Waŋblí Hoȟpi; "Golden Eagle Nest") is a census-designated place (CDP) on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, located in Jackson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 674 at the 2020 census, virtually all of whom are members of the Oglala tribe of Lakota Sioux. Wanbli is the Lakota word for eagle, and the town was named for its proximity to Wanbli hohpi paha (Eagle Nest Butte). Wanblee is a few miles directly northeast of the North American continental pole of inaccessibility. The 1992 movie Thunderheart was partly filmed in Wanblee. It appeared as an unnamed town on the fictional Bear Creek Reservation, for which is actually located on the Pine Ridge Indian…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,638 ft
- ZIP code
- 57577
- Area code
- 605
Questions about Wanblee
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wanblee, SD a good place to live?
Wanblee has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.