William Andre House · National Register of Historic Places
Meckling’s story
Meckling in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →MecklingSD
A town of 273.
Population
273
residents
Median home value
$277K
Census ACS
Household income
$75K
median
Median age
41.1
years
Jobs based here
12
A commuter town
Small town
273 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
NorwayBethelSpirit MoundGayvillePleasant ValleyMeckling
Meckling’s report card
Now in Meckling
Be the first to start the conversation.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Meckling. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Meckling
Most working residents leave Meckling for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Vermillion (28%), Sioux Falls (18%) and Yankton (5%). Half commute less than 21 miles.
1%work in town
Where working residents work
In Meckling1%
Vermillion28%
Sioux Falls18%
Yankton5%
Sioux City4%
21 mi
median commute distance
12
jobs based in Meckling
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Meckling has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 38 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–32°
Spring36–60°
Summer61–83°
Fall38–62°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities.
66risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Health
How healthy Meckling is
Meckling beats the South Dakota average on 9 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
26 measures vs. South Dakota
9 better15 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Meckling | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 8.2% | 11.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.5% | 3.5% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 69.1% | 75.9% |
Sanford Vermillion Medical Center
11 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
1.3% of Meckling is conserved land
9.0 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves.
1.3%conserved
1.3%
conserved · 309 of 22,972 acres
9.0 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Meckling for work
Where Meckling’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
12jobs based in Meckling
1%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Meckling
Unincorporated community in South Dakota, United States
Meckling is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) in Clay County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 48 at the 2020 census. Meckling was laid out in 1873, and named in honor of Jones S. Meckling, a railroad employee. Due to the large number of farms that grow the crop alfalfa it has become known as the "Hay Capital of the Universe". In this fertile Missouri River valley of southeastern South Dakota, alfalfa hay is the crop of choice. Each August Meckling and its neighboring town Gayville, the Hay Capital of the World host the Annual Hay Days. In 1965, the local school closed, and the residents were allowed to choose between the Gayville or Vermillion s…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 48
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,152 ft