Easton's Castle · National Register of Historic Places
Aberdeen’s story
146 years in pictures
23 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1880Aberdeen is settled
AberdeenSD
A town of 28,189, settled in 1880. Home to 23 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Population
28,189
+9.2% since 2010
Median home value
$217K
Census ACS
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
36.4
years
Jobs based here
15,123
Balanced
What makes Aberdeen stand out
The 3 things Aberdeen does most differently from other towns.
Easton's CastleHistory
Settled in 1880
23 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 146 years.
100 U.S. towns● Aberdeen
Health
Healthier than 71%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than SD on 0 measures, worse on 0.
Outdoors
#11 most trails in SD
12 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
5.1% of the town is conserved land.
College town
Northern State University calls Aberdeen home
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Aberdeen’s report card
Now in Aberdeen
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Aberdeen is #35 of 37 in SD for “Mildest winters”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Aberdeen’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →73°
Clear
H 75° · L 54°
Local news
All →- Public Meetings: School Board, City, County Meet This WeekAberdeen Insider · Sep 27
- Aberdeen Police Need Your HelpKELO-AM · Sep 21
- Aberdeen Central Girls JV Ice Hockey (2025-26) Schedulemaxpreps.com · Sep 20
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Aberdeen. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About half of working residents work right in Aberdeen
67% of Aberdeen’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Aberdeen (7%), Sioux Falls (4%) and Brookings (2%). Half commute less than 2 miles.
67%work in town
Where working residents work
In Aberdeen67%
Aberdeen7%
Sioux Falls4%
Brookings2%
Watertown2%
2 mi
median commute distance
15,123
jobs based in Aberdeen
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 71% of U.S. towns
Aberdeen tracks South Dakota closely on all 26 CDC measures.
B+Health Grade
26 measures vs. South Dakota
0 better26 too close to call0 worse
Avera St. Lukes
0.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
51st
percentile among SD towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Housing
Homes in Aberdeen sell for about $237K
The median sale price was $237,000 in May 2026.
$237Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
59
days on market
96%
sale-to-list price
36
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Outdoors
5.1% of Aberdeen is conserved land
12 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves.
#11for trails in SD
5.1%
conserved · 541 of 10,588 acres
12 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
#11
most conserved land in SD
#12
most walkable in SD
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kuhnert Arboretum & Park | 2.7 mi | 102 |
| 2. Wylie Park | 1.1 mi | 190 |
| 3. Aberdeen Athletic Complex | 0.4 mi | 54 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Schools
Aberdeen’s public schools outperform 65% of South Dakota districts
The public schools Aberdeen’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 65% of South Dakota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simmons Elementary - 10 | K–5 | 386 | C |
| C C Lee Elementary - 05 | K–5 | 356 | A+ |
| May Overby Elementary - 09 | K–5 | 327 | B− |
| O M Tiffany Elementary - 11 | K–5 | 304 | B− |
| Mike Miller Elementary - 07 | K–5 | 282 | B+ |
| Lincoln Elementary - 08 | PK–5 | 233 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state tests and graduationAll 20 schools →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 28% of U.S. towns
Aberdeen reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 72% report less.
CSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Aberdeen4.2
South Dakota3.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Aberdeen13.2
South Dakota14.3
U.S.15.5
28th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
25th
percentile among SD towns
118
violent crimes reported in 2025
366
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Aberdeen has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 3°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter6–25°
Spring32–55°
Summer57–81°
Fall34–57°
Sep 26
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 40% of U.S. communities.
40risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
328
paid flood claims since 1978
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Landmarks
23 places in Aberdeen on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Aberdeen
City in South Dakota, United States
Aberdeen (Lakota: Ablíla) is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 28,495 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 27,919 in 2024, making it the third-most populous city in the state. Aberdeen is home of Northern State University.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1880
- Population
- 28,495
- Area
- 16 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,302 ft
- ZIP code
- 57401, 57402
- Area code
- 605
Aberdeen’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Aberdeen.