1892 · Hand County, South Dakota (1892) · Wikimedia Commons
Bates’s story
Bates in pictures
1 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
Explore the history →BatesSD
A town of 49.
Population
49
residents
Median age
65.1
years
Small town
49 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
ScotlandVerdonEast HansonGarden PrairieCondeBates
Bates’s report card
Now in Bates
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The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bates. Another town gets a different order.
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Bates has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 3°, and about 32 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
32″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter6–25°
Spring32–54°
Summer58–81°
Fall35–57°
Sep 29
typical first frost
May 6
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 38% of U.S. communities.
38risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Health
How healthy Bates is
Bates beats the South Dakota average on 2 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 6.
26 measures vs. South Dakota
2 better18 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Bates | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.4% | 75.9% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 87.2% | 84.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.5% | 9.2% |
Sanford Medical Center Aberdeen
23.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
2.7% of Bates is conserved land
17 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves.
2.7%conserved
2.7%
conserved · 618 of 22,743 acres
17 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →