SDMap-doton-WillowLake, 2004
Willow Lake’s story
144 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1882Willow Lake is settled
Willow LakeSD
A town of 271, settled in 1882.
Population
271
2025 Census estimate · +2.3% since 2020
Median home value
$149K
Census ACS
Household income
$73K
median
Median age
17.5
years
Jobs based here
107
Balanced
Is Willow Lake a good place to live?
Willow Lake’s median age is 17.5 years, below both South Dakota’s towns (39.5 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Among 36 South Dakota towns, just 3 have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Willow Lake. Security State Bank is on the National Register of Historic Places. Willow Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
271 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Collins TownshipLake TownshipWillow Lake
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Willow Lake: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Willow Lake, and how to reach them.
PowerNorthWestern Energy13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWillow Lake water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Willow Lake’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 hereClark County AuditorClark County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2023
ZIP code5727857278 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 Willow Lake.
Schools
The schools Willow Lake’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Willow Lake School District 12-3.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Lake Elementary - 02Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 153 | C |
| Willow Lake High School - 01Largest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 69 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Willow Lake has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Willow Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 82°F, Willow Lake’s July high is against 85°F in South Dakota’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
48″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter8–26°
Spring33–54°
Summer58–80°
Fall35–57°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 5
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Willow Lake
Most working residents leave Willow Lake for work: only 6% work in town. Since 2013, Willow Lake has added 22 jobs, to 107 in 2023. The average trip to work in Willow Lake is 23 minutes.
6%work in town
| Willow Lake | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 5.8% | 29% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Willow Lake6%
Clark17%
Watertown16%
Sioux Falls10%
Lake Norden6%
31 mi
median commute distance
107
jobs based in Willow Lake
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Cold waves leads a low hazard risk in Willow Lake
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 61% of U.S. communities. Since 1998, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Willow Lake.
39risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingHail
3
paid flood claims since 1998
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Willow Lake is
Willow Lake beats the South Dakota average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 17% of adults smoke cigarettes in Willow Lake. Only 2 of the 36 South Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of adults 18 to 64 who have no health insurance than Willow Lake.
| Willow Lake | South Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 76% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 30% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 22% | 25% |
26 measures vs. South Dakota
1 better24 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Willow Lake | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 70.9% | 65.5% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 64.6% | 69.2% |
Avera De Smet Memorial Hospital - Cah
17.1 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 Willow Lake
18pages on Willow Lake
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Willow Lake; the nearest are
Lake Area Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Watertown32.7 mi$6,718 in-state tuitionSouth Dakota State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Brookings47.3 mi$9,299 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Willow Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across South Dakota.
About Willow Lake
City in South Dakota, United States
Willow Lake is a city in Clark County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 255 at the 2020 census. The city took its name from Willow Lake, a natural lake near the town site.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,785 ft
- ZIP code
- 57278
- Area code
- 605
Questions about Willow Lake
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Willow Lake, SD a good place to live?
Willow Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Willow Lake, SD known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Clarence Gonstead and Zay Jeffries.