Freeman’s story
133 years in pictures
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1893Freeman is settled
FreemanSD
A town of 1,565, settled in 1893. A typical home worth about $255K.
Population
1,565
+1.8% since 2010
Typical home
$255K
+11.9% in a year
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
37.8
years
Jobs based here
693
Balanced
What makes Freeman stand out
The 2 things Freeman does most differently from other towns.
Freeman’s report card
Now in Freeman
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Freeman? Is a B for health right?
Your answer becomes a post in Freeman’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →64°
Fog/Mist
H 71° · L 61°
Local news
All →- Bon Homme Boys Varsity Basketball @ Freemanmaxpreps.com · Sep 27
- Ethan Boys Varsity Basketball @ Freemanmaxpreps.com · Sep 27
- Viborg/Hurley Girls Varsity Volleyball @ FAM (CO-OP)maxpreps.com · Sep 26
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Freeman. Another town gets a different order.
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Freeman has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 41 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
41″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–30°
Spring35–58°
Summer60–82°
Fall38–60°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Housing
A typical Freeman home is worth about $255K
The typical Freeman home is worth about $255,000, up 11.9% in a year, 21% below the South Dakota typical home.
$255KZillow home value
Typical home value
Freeman$255K
South Dakota$322K
+11.9%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 63% of U.S. towns
Freeman beats the South Dakota average on 3 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 4.
BHealth Grade
26 measures vs. South Dakota
3 better19 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Freeman | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 15.5% | 18.8% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.5% | 75.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.6% | 9.2% |
Freeman Medical Center - Cah
0 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
42nd
percentile among SD towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Freeman
About one in 4 of Freeman’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Sioux Falls (15%), Menno (13%) and Valley (4%). Half commute less than 12 miles.
25%work in town
Where working residents work
In Freeman25%
Sioux Falls15%
Menno13%
Valley4%
Yankton3%
12 mi
median commute distance
693
jobs based in Freeman
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Schools
Freeman’s public schools outperform 42% of South Dakota districts
The public schools Freeman’s kids attend trail 58% of South Dakota’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
C+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freeman Elementary - 02 | PK–6 | 192 | B |
| Freeman Jr High - 05 | 7–8 | 49 | B |
| Freeman High School - 01 | 9–12 | 110 | B+ |
| Freeman Academy Private | PK–12 | 64 |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state testsAll 4 schools →
Outdoors
0% of Freeman is conserved land
1.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 944 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Freeman Pool Park | — | 3 |
| 2. Lion's Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with drought at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities.
50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2024
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Famous people from Freeman
4 notable people were born in Freeman.
About Freeman
City in South Dakota, United States
Freeman is a city in Hutchinson County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,329 at the 2020 census. Freeman was laid out in 1879.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1893
- Population
- 1,329
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,512 ft
- ZIP code
- 57029
- Area code
- 605
Freeman’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Freeman.
GrandviewValleyFreeman