Tea’s story
132 years in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1894Tea is settled
TeaSD
A town of 6,786, settled in 1894. Public schools that outperform most of South Dakota.
Population
6,786
+47.1% since 2010
Typical home
$389K
+0.2% in a year
Household income
$120K
median
Median age
30.6
years
Jobs based here
2,006
A commuter town
What makes Tea stand out
The 3 things Tea does most differently from other towns.
A growing town
Tea has grown 47.1% since 2010
3,806 people in 2010; 6,786 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Tea’s report card
Commute8 miHalf of commuters travel lessSchoolsA−Beats 79% of SD districtsHousing$389K21% above the SD typical homeHealthAHealthier than 90% of U.S. townsOutdoors2 miof trails · 2.2% conservedClimate84°/8°Summer high · winter low · 49″ snowHazards37/100Low risk of storm & flood damageSafetyBLess crime than 59% of U.S. towns
Now in Tea
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Tea is #36 of 37 in SD for “Most residents 65+”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Tea’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →63°
Cloudy
H 62° · L 58°
Local news
All →- Local gymnasts attempt to bounce back after stormKELOLAND.com · Jul 27
- Strong Thunderstorm Winds in Southeast SD and Northwest IA on July 25, 2026National Weather Service (.gov) · Jul 25
- Annual rummage sale in Tea benefits preschoolDakota News Now · Jul 21
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Tea. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About one in ten working residents works right in Tea
Most working residents leave Tea for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Sioux Falls (67%), Delapre (4%) and Harrisburg (1%). Half commute less than 8 miles.
10%work in town
Where working residents work
In Tea10%
Sioux Falls67%
Delapre4%
Harrisburg1%
Brandon1%
8 mi
median commute distance
2,006
jobs based in Tea
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Schools
Tea’s public schools outperform 79% of South Dakota districts
The public schools Tea’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 79% of South Dakota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
A−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tea Area Legacy Elementary - 01 | K–5 | 538 | A |
| Tea Area Venture Elementary - 06 | K–5 | 379 | A |
| Tea Area Middle School - 02 | 6–8 | 583 | B− |
| Tea Area High School - 03 | 9–12 | 717 | A |
| Tea Area Preschool - 07 | PK | — | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state tests and graduationAll 5 schools →
Housing
A typical Tea home is worth about $389K
The typical Tea home is worth about $389,000, about the same as a year ago, 21% above the South Dakota typical home.
$389KZillow home value
Typical home value
Tea$389K
South Dakota$322K
Market temperature
94
days on market
99.4%
sale-to-list price
+0.2%
value change, 1 year
14
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Tea beats the South Dakota average on 14 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
AHealth Grade
26 measures vs. South Dakota
14 better10 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Tea | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 3.2% | 6.8% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 1.8% | 3.5% |
| More binge drinkers | 24% | 18.8% |
Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota
3.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
94th
percentile among SD towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
2.2% of Tea is conserved land
2.0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
2.2%conserved
2.2%
conserved · 54 of 2,474 acres
2.0 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
#9
most walkable in SD
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tea Athletic Complex | 0.5 mi | 45 |
| 2. Tea City Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Tea has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 49 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–29°
Spring35–57°
Summer60–82°
Fall38–59°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with tornadoes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 37% of U.S. communities.
37risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 2018
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 59% of U.S. towns
Tea reports less crime per resident than 59% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
BSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Tea1.7
South Dakota3.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Tea7.8
South Dakota14.3
U.S.15.5
59th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
68th
percentile among SD towns
14
violent crimes reported in 2025
65
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
A commuter town
90% of working residents leave Tea for work
Where Tea’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,006jobs based in Tea
10%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Tea
City in South Dakota, United States
Tea is an incorporated city in Lincoln County, South Dakota, United States and is a suburb of Sioux Falls. The population was 5,598 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 7,699 in 2024. Tea was laid out in 1894. The name "Tea" was selected on account of its brevity and is said to have no significance.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1894
- Population
- 5,598
- Area
- 1.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,490 ft
- ZIP code
- 57064
- Area code
- 605
Tea’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Tea.