Frawley Historic Ranch · National Register of Historic Places
Spearfish’s story
150 years in pictures
30 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1876Spearfish is settled
SpearfishSD
A town of 12,930, settled in 1876. Home to 30 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
12,930
+16.2% since 2010
Typical home
$456K
−0.7% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
40.0
years
Jobs based here
6,712
Balanced
What makes Spearfish stand out
The 3 things Spearfish does most differently from other towns.
Frawley Historic RanchHistory
Settled in 1876
30 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 150 years.
Outdoors
#4 most trails in SD
25 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
9.2% of the town is conserved land.
$456Ktypical home
Housing
$456K typical home
42% above the SD typical home
Down 0.7% in a year.
A growing town
Spearfish has grown 16.2% since 2010
10,494 people in 2010; 12,930 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Spearfish’s report card
Outdoors25 mi#4 for trails in SDHousing$456K42% above the SD typical homeHealthA−Healthier than 83% of U.S. townsSchoolsBBeats 56% of SD districtsCommute6 miHalf of commuters travel lessSafetyCLess crime than 31% of U.S. townsClimate86°/15°Summer high · winter low · 71″ snowHazards41/100Moderate risk of storm & flood damage
Now in Spearfish
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Spearfish is #36 of 37 in SD for “Least snow”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Spearfish’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →72°
Mostly Clear
H 0° · L 48°
Local news
All →- Spearfish Main Street asphalt mill and overlay work to begin on September 28KBHB Radio · Sep 24
- Forecast of high winds keeps Lookout Mountain Fire officials and firefighters on alertKBHB Radio · Sep 10
- UPDATE: Lookout Fire near Spearfish 54% contained Wednesday; Officials confirm human causeKOTA Territory News · Sep 9
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Spearfish. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
9.2% of Spearfish is conserved land
25 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves.
#4for trails in SD
9.2%
conserved · 1,015 of 10,978 acres
25 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
#5
most conserved land in SD
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lookout Mountain Park | 15.1 mi | 792 |
| 2. McGuigan Nature Area | 2.3 mi | 62 |
| 3. Creekside Nature Area | 1.4 mi | 26 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
A typical Spearfish home is worth about $456K
The typical Spearfish home is worth about $456,000, down 0.7% in a year, 42% above the South Dakota typical home.
$456KZillow home value
Typical home value
Spearfish$456K
South Dakota$322K
Market temperature
73
days on market
97.9%
sale-to-list price
−0.7%
value change, 1 year
19
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
Spearfish beats the South Dakota average on 3 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
A−Health Grade
26 measures vs. South Dakota
3 better23 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Spearfish | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 9.6% | 11.7% |
| Fewer smokers | 12.7% | 15.2% |
Monument Health Spearfish Hospital
2.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
84th
percentile among SD towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools
Spearfish’s public schools outperform 56% of South Dakota districts
The public schools Spearfish’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 56% of South Dakota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
BSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creekside Elementary - 07 | 3–5 | 553 | B+ |
| West Elementary - 03 | 1–2 | 322 | Not graded |
| Mountain View Elementary - 08 | K | 168 | Not graded |
| Spearfish Middle School - 05 | 6–8 | 545 | C+ |
| Spearfish Academy at Canyon Hills Elementary - 09 | 4–8 | 2 | Not graded |
| Black Hills Academy at Canyon Hills - 08 | 4–8 | — | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state tests and graduationAll 10 schools →
Work & commute
About half of working residents work right in Spearfish
46% of Spearfish’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Rapid City (12%), Deadwood (7%) and Sioux Falls (4%). Half commute less than 6 miles.
46%work in town
Where working residents work
In Spearfish46%
Rapid City12%
Deadwood7%
Sioux Falls4%
Sturgis3%
6 mi
median commute distance
6,712
jobs based in Spearfish
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 31% of U.S. towns
Spearfish reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 69% report less.
CSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Spearfish2.3
South Dakota3.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Spearfish19.5
South Dakota14.3
U.S.15.5
31st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
36th
percentile among SD towns
33
violent crimes reported in 2025
277
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Spearfish has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 71 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
71″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–38°
Spring32–57°
Summer54–82°
Fall34–60°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 12
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 41% of U.S. communities.
41risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesHail
11
paid flood claims since 1992
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
College town
11% of Spearfish is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Landmarks
30 places in Spearfish on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Spearfish
City in South Dakota, United States
Spearfish (Lakota: Hočhápȟe) is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 12,193 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 13,803 in 2024, making it the 10th most populous city in South Dakota. Spearfish is the largest city in Lawrence County and the home of Black Hills State University.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1876
- Population
- 12,193
- Area
- 17 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3,648 ft
- ZIP code
- 57783, 57799
- Area code
- 605
Spearfish’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Spearfish.
North SpearfishMountain PlainsSpearfish
More about Spearfish
Still missing for Spearfish:archive photosupcoming events