1911 · The Palisades · Library of Congress
Garretson’s story
135 years in pictures
6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 4 places on the National Register.
- 1891Garretson is settled
- 1911The Palisades
GarretsonSD
A town of 1,176, settled in 1891. Public schools that outperform most of South Dakota.
Photo: Southeast South Dakota Tourism · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,176
+5.3% since 2010
Typical home
$277K
+1.2% in a year
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
48.5
years
Jobs based here
295
A commuter town
What makes Garretson stand out
The 3 things Garretson does most differently from other towns.
CSchool Grade
Schools
Better than 27%
of SD districts
School Grade C.
100 U.S. towns● Garretson
Health
Healthier than 71%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than SD on 1 measures, worse on 0.
1911 · The PalisadesHistory
Settled in 1891
4 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 135 years.
Small town
1,176 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Garretson’s report card
Now in Garretson
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Garretson? Is a C for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Garretson’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →63°
Cloudy
H 70° · L 59°
Local news
All →- Baltic vs Garretson Football - Aug 21, 2026Sports Illustrated · Aug 21
- Goat Yoga brings fun to Glean for Good Farm in GarretsonDakota News Now · Aug 6
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Garretson. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Garretson
Most working residents leave Garretson for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are Sioux Falls (56%), Brandon (4%) and Sverdrup (4%). Half commute less than 17 miles.
5%work in town
Where working residents work
In Garretson5%
Sioux Falls56%
Brandon4%
Sverdrup4%
Baltic2%
17 mi
median commute distance
295
jobs based in Garretson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Schools
Garretson’s public schools outperform 27% of South Dakota districts
The public schools Garretson’s kids attend trail 73% of South Dakota’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
CSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garretson Elementary - 02 | PK–5 | 246 | C− |
| Garretson Middle School - 03 | 6–8 | 105 | C+ |
| Garretson High School - 01 | 9–12 | 142 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state testsAll 3 schools →
Health
Healthier than 71% of U.S. towns
Garretson beats the South Dakota average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
B+Health Grade
26 measures vs. South Dakota
1 better25 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Garretson | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.4% | 12.7% |
Avera Dells Area Hospital - Cah
13.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
52nd
percentile among SD towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 32% of U.S. communities.
32risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Garretson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
45″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–28°
Spring34–56°
Summer59–81°
Fall37–59°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Housing
A typical Garretson home is worth about $277K
The typical Garretson home is worth about $277,000, up 1.2% in a year, 14% below the South Dakota typical home.
$277KZillow home value
Typical home value
Garretson$277K
South Dakota$322K
+1.2%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in April
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Outdoors
0% of Garretson is conserved land
0.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 952 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Devil's Gulch Park | 0.1 mi | 50 |
| 2. Split Rock Park | — | 18 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Garretson for work
Where Garretson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
295jobs based in Garretson
5%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
4 places in Garretson on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Garretson
City in South Dakota, United States
Garretson is a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States. The city had a population of 1,228 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1891
- Population
- 1,228
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,503 ft
- ZIP code
- 57030
- Area code
- 605
More about Garretson
Still missing for Garretson:upcoming events