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Living in
Mitchell.
About
Life in Mitchell
Living in Mitchell means settling into a genuinely affordable Midwestern community where you can actually buy a house without financial strain—median home values hover around $192,000 and rent runs roughly $851 a month. The job market is tight with unemployment at just 1.6%, though opportunities center around healthcare, education (Dakota Wesleyan University and Mitchell Technical College anchor the economy), and local government as the county seat, so you'll want to confirm your career field has roots here before moving. The community skews slightly older and more stable, with a median age of 38.5 and family-oriented neighborhoods, though you should know the population has been declining slightly and the city is nearly 94% white with small Latino and Native American communities.
Mitchell at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.5%
Foreign-Born
2.0%
Broadband Internet
85.7%
of households
Population Growth
+0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Mitchell: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Mitchell, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (54.1%), and 2.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
22.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
22.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
41.0%
of households
Married Couples
42.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.04
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 10% below SD average
Rent, home values, and income in Mitchell
In Mitchell, rent runs 10% below the SD average, and home values are 25% below the SD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
36.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.9%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,482
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
56.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1972
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $252,190 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for SD
Unemployment in Mitchell
Unemployment in Davison County, which includes Mitchell, is close to the SD average.
Unemployment rate
Mitchell: Davison County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Davison County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Mitchell Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute12.8 min avg
How Mitchell residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Mitchell, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 91% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 65 mi
Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD)
Small hub742k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 12% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Mitchell runs 12% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
288.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,755.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Mitchell Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 30 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
39.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Davison County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Davison County, which includes Mitchell, the most common type is winter weather, with 30 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 26 | Strong Wind | $10.3M |
| 2023 | 30 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 33 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 19 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 25 | Flood | $336,000 |
| 2019 | 36 | Flood | $16.5M |
| 2018 | 30 | Winter Weather | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Davison County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate84°F summers, 12°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Mitchell has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and very cold winters (avg low 12°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
30°/12°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
25.8"
Annual Snowfall
40.6"
Hot Days/Year
26
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
168
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
89
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 9°F | 0.61" |
| Feb | 32°F | 13°F | 0.76" |
| Mar | 45°F | 25°F | 1.26" |
| Apr | 59°F | 37°F | 2.76" |
| May | 70°F | 49°F | 3.69" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 3.95" |
| Jul | 87°F | 65°F | 3.02" |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 3.09" |
| Sep | 76°F | 53°F | 2.64" |
| Oct | 61°F | 39°F | 2.11" |
| Nov | 45°F | 26°F | 1.12" |
| Dec | 31°F | 15°F | 0.77" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Mitchell
Mitchell has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Avera Queen of Peace
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Mitchell
Mitchell's student/teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 23.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Mitchell
Public · 2-year · 990 students · in-state tuition $7,854 · 73% graduate · median earnings $51,994 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 670 students · in-state tuition $34,540 · 56% graduate · median earnings $57,757 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Missouri National Recreational River, 69 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Mitchell
Mitchell has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Missouri National Recreational River (69 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Missouri National Recreational River
National Recreational River
69 mi awayPipestone National Monument
National Monument
87 mi awayPublic Libraries in Mitchell
Mitchell Public Library
221 N Duff Street, Mitchell
Cities Near Mitchell
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Mitchell?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Mitchell FAQ
Is Mitchell, South Dakota affordable?⌄
Mitchell's median rent is $851/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $58,620/year. Median home value is $192,200.
Is Mitchell, South Dakota safe?⌄
Mitchell's violent crime rate was 288 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1756 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Mitchell, South Dakota?⌄
Davison County, which includes Mitchell, has an unemployment rate of 1.8%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Mitchell, South Dakota?⌄
The cost of living in Mitchell is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $851/month and median household income is $58,620/year. The median home value is $192,200. About 37% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Mitchell, South Dakota?⌄
The average commute in Mitchell is 13 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from