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Living in
Spearfish.
About
Life in Spearfish
Spearfish is a community of 12,551 people in South Dakota. The median household income is $65,688, median rent runs about $963 per month, and median home values are around $346,200. Unemployment is low at 1.7%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Spearfish at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.2%
Foreign-Born
2.6%
Broadband Internet
92.2%
of households
Population Growth
+15.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Spearfish: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Spearfish, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (21.2%), and 2.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.4%
of residents
65 and Older
20.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
21.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
42.1%
of households
Married Couples
36.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.05
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 about average for SD
Rent, home values, and income in Spearfish
In Spearfish, home values are 34% above the SD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
35.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.9%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,183
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
49.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1992
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $450,602 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for SD
Unemployment in Spearfish
Unemployment in Lawrence County, which includes Spearfish, is close to the SD average.
Unemployment rate
Spearfish: Lawrence County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Lawrence County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Spearfish Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.3 min avg
How Spearfish residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Spearfish, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 50 mi
Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP)
Regional airport · few flights443k 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 30% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Spearfish runs 30% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
231.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,946.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Spearfish Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 18 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
49.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lawrence County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lawrence County, which includes Spearfish, the most common type is hail, with 18 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | Hail | None reported |
| 2024 | 29 | Winter Weather | $2,000 |
| 2023 | 25 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 32 | Hail | None reported |
| 2021 | 30 | Hail | None reported |
| 2020 | 38 | Hail | None reported |
| 2019 | 38 | Hail | $497,000 |
| 2018 | 37 | Hail | $2.0M |
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.
132 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lawrence County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate81°F summers, 17°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Spearfish has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 17°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
55°/33°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
59°/36°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
37°/17°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
26.4"
Annual Snowfall
70.5"
Hot Days/Year
26
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
144
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
93
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 16°F | 0.60" |
| Feb | 37°F | 16°F | 0.91" |
| Mar | 46°F | 24°F | 1.19" |
| Apr | 55°F | 32°F | 2.23" |
| May | 64°F | 42°F | 3.72" |
| Jun | 75°F | 51°F | 3.51" |
| Jul | 84°F | 58°F | 2.35" |
| Aug | 83°F | 56°F | 1.88" |
| Sep | 74°F | 48°F | 1.56" |
| Oct | 58°F | 35°F | 2.04" |
| Nov | 46°F | 26°F | 0.70" |
| Dec | 37°F | 18°F | 0.72" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Spearfish
Spearfish has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Monument Health Spearfish Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Monument Health Lead-deadwood Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 9.4 mi away · Deadwood
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.
Education14.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Spearfish
Spearfish's student/teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 41.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
41.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Spearfish
Public · 4-year · 1,928 students · in-state tuition $9,014 · 42% graduate · median earnings $49,283 (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: Devils Tower National Monument, 45 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Spearfish
Spearfish has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Devils Tower National Monument (45 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Devils Tower National Monument
National Monument
45 mi awayMount Rushmore National Memorial
National Memorial
46 mi awayJewel Cave National Monument
National Monument
53 mi awayWind Cave National Park
National Park
66 mi awayBadlands National Park
National Park
86 mi awayMinuteman Missile National Historic Site
National Historic Site
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in Spearfish
Grace Balloch Memorial Library
625 North Fifth Street, Spearfish
Cities Near Spearfish
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Spearfish?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Spearfish FAQ
Is Spearfish, South Dakota affordable?⌄
Spearfish's median rent is $963/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $65,688/year. Median home value is $346,200.
Is Spearfish, South Dakota safe?⌄
Spearfish's violent crime rate was 232 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1947 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Spearfish, South Dakota?⌄
Lawrence County, which includes Spearfish, has an unemployment rate of 1.9%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Spearfish, South Dakota?⌄
The cost of living in Spearfish is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $963/month and median household income is $65,688/year. The median home value is $346,200. About 36% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Spearfish, South Dakota?⌄
The average commute in Spearfish is 16 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