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Living in
Vermillion.
About
Life in Vermillion
Vermillion is a community of 11,800 people in South Dakota. The median household income is $50,456, median rent runs about $764 per month, and median home values are around $219,000. Unemployment is low at 2.1%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Vermillion at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
23.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
24.4%
Foreign-Born
4.3%
Broadband Internet
91.9%
of households
Population Growth
+0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.3% foreign-born, most often from Bangladesh
Who lives in Vermillion: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Vermillion, the largest foreign-born group is from Bangladesh (20.2%), and 1.2% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
14.9%
of residents
65 and Older
9.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
18.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
41.7%
of households
Married Couples
32.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.21
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 19% below SD average
Rent, home values, and income in Vermillion
In Vermillion, rent runs 19% below the SD average, and home values are 15% below the SD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.5%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,214
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
42.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $271,465 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for SD
Unemployment in Vermillion
Unemployment in Clay County, which includes Vermillion, is close to the SD average.
Unemployment rate
Vermillion: Clay County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Clay County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Vermillion Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.9 min avg
How Vermillion residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Vermillion, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 81% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 38 mi
Sioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field (SUX)
Regional airport · few flights29k passengers boarded in 2025
- 115 mi
Eppley Airfield (OMA)
Medium hub2.6M 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 44% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Vermillion runs 44% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
184.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,141.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Vermillion Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 32 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
20.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Clay County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Clay County, which includes Vermillion, the most common type is winter weather, with 32 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 25 | Winter Weather | $6.5M |
| 2023 | 30 | Drought | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 27 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 21 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 25 | Winter Weather | $3,000 |
| 2019 | 21 | Flood | $470,000 |
| 2018 | 26 | 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
Clay County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Clay County, which includes Vermillion, is typically good — 308 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
308
per year
Moderate Days
41
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Clay County, county-wide
Climate84°F summers, 13°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Vermillion has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and very cold winters (avg low 13°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/13°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
28.0"
Annual Snowfall
36.2"
Hot Days/Year
29
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
152
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
77
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 10°F | 0.53" |
| Feb | 36°F | 14°F | 0.70" |
| Mar | 48°F | 25°F | 1.42" |
| Apr | 62°F | 36°F | 3.09" |
| May | 73°F | 48°F | 3.96" |
| Jun | 82°F | 59°F | 4.30" |
| Jul | 86°F | 63°F | 3.61" |
| Aug | 83°F | 61°F | 2.88" |
| Sep | 78°F | 52°F | 3.07" |
| Oct | 65°F | 39°F | 2.35" |
| Nov | 48°F | 25°F | 1.30" |
| Dec | 34°F | 15°F | 0.79" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Vermillion
Vermillion has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
9.5%
of residents
Sanford Vermillion Medical Center
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.
Education15.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Vermillion
Vermillion's student/teacher ratio is 15.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 50.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
50.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Vermillion
Public · 4-year · 5,439 students · in-state tuition $9,687 · 55% graduate · median earnings $58,316 (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, 34 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Vermillion
Vermillion has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Missouri National Recreational River (34 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Missouri National Recreational River
National Recreational River
34 mi awayPipestone National Monument
National Monument
90 mi awayPublic Libraries in Vermillion
Edith B Siegrist Vermillion Public Library
18 Church Street, Vermillion
Cities Near Vermillion
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Vermillion?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Vermillion FAQ
Is Vermillion, South Dakota affordable?⌄
Vermillion's median rent is $764/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $50,456/year. Median home value is $219,000.
Is Vermillion, South Dakota safe?⌄
Vermillion's violent crime rate was 185 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1141 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Vermillion, South Dakota?⌄
Clay County, which includes Vermillion, has an unemployment rate of 2.1%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Vermillion, South Dakota?⌄
The cost of living in Vermillion is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $764/month and median household income is $50,456/year. The median home value is $219,000. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Vermillion, South Dakota?⌄
The average commute in Vermillion is 17 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