Austin-Whittemore House · National Register of Historic Places
Vermillion’s story
167 years in pictures
26 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1859Vermillion is settled
VermillionSD
A town of 11,878, settled in 1859. Home to 26 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: User:Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
11,878
+10.6% since 2010
Median home value
$219K
Census ACS
Household income
$50K
median
Median age
23.1
years
Jobs based here
4,469
Balanced
What makes Vermillion stand out
The 3 things Vermillion does most differently from other towns.
Austin-Whittemore HouseHistory
Settled in 1859
26 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 167 years.
B−School Grade
Schools
#9 for schools in SD
of 34 towns
School Grade B−.
Outdoors
#13 most walkable in SD
2.7 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
3% of the town is conserved land.
College town
38% of Vermillion is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Vermillion’s report card
Now in Vermillion
What neighbors are saying. Town Square →
Residents weigh in
Vermillion is #37 of 37 in SD for “Oldest”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Vermillion’s Town Square.
Weather
Forecast →68°
Light Drizzle
H 69° · L 59°
Local news
All →- 100-year-old house retires to farm just outside of VermillionKTIV · Aug 11
- Restaurants prepare for final week of Vermillion Burger BattleDakota News Now · Jul 24
- Vermillion library wraps summer reading program with cardboard boat raceKTIV · Jul 22
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Vermillion. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Vermillion’s public schools outperform 49% of South Dakota districts
The public schools Vermillion’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 51% of South Dakota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermillion Elementary - 05 | PK–5 | 625 | Not graded |
| St. Agnes Elementary School Private | PK–5 | 130 | |
| Vermillion Middle School - 02 | 6–8 | 343 | B+ |
| Vermillion High School - 01 | 9–12 | 413 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state tests and graduationAll 4 schools →
Housing
Homes in Vermillion sell for about $335K
The median sale price was $335,000 in May 2026.
$335Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
83
days on market
95.8%
sale-to-list price
8
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Outdoors
3% of Vermillion is conserved land
2.7 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves.
3%conserved
3%
conserved · 92 of 3,043 acres
2.7 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
#13
most walkable in SD
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Prentis Park | 0.7 mi | 21 |
| 2. Barstow Park | — | 23 |
| 3. Cotton Park | 0.1 mi | 20 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
Vermillion beats the South Dakota average on 11 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
A−Health Grade
26 measures vs. South Dakota
11 better10 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Vermillion | SD |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 6.7% | 11.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.3% | 9.2% |
| More adults in frequent mental distress | 19.5% | 15.3% |
Sanford Vermillion Medical Center
0.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
76th
percentile among SD towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Vermillion has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 36 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–32°
Spring36–60°
Summer61–84°
Fall38–62°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
About half of working residents work right in Vermillion
48% of Vermillion’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Sioux Falls (14%), Yankton (6%) and Sioux City (3%). Half commute less than 2 miles.
48%work in town
Where working residents work
In Vermillion48%
Sioux Falls14%
Yankton6%
Sioux City3%
Vermillion3%
2 mi
median commute distance
4,469
jobs based in Vermillion
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 46% of U.S. communities.
46risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
1
paid flood claims since 2011
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 48% of U.S. towns
Vermillion reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 52% report less.
B−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Vermillion1.8
South Dakota3.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Vermillion11.4
South Dakota14.3
U.S.15.5
48th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
54th
percentile among SD towns
22
violent crimes reported in 2025
136
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
A growing town
Vermillion has grown 10.6% since 2010
10,571 people in 2010; 11,878 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Landmarks
26 places in Vermillion on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Vermillion
City in South Dakota, United States
Vermillion (Lakota: Waséoyuze; "The Place Where Vermilion is Obtained") is a city in and the county seat of Clay County. It is in the southeastern corner of South Dakota, United States, and is the state's 12th-most populous city. According to the 2020 census, the population was 11,695. The city lies atop a bluff near the Missouri River. The area has been home to Native American tribes for centuries. French fur traders first visited in the late 18th century. Vermillion was founded in 1859 and incorporated in 1873. The name refers to the Lakota name: wa sa wak pa'la (red stream). Home to the University of South Dakota, Vermillion has a mixed academic and rural character: the university is a m…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1859
- Population
- 11,695
- Area
- 4.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,224 ft
- ZIP code
- 57069
- Area code
- 605
Vermillion’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Vermillion.
VermillionFairviewVermillion
More about Vermillion
Still missing for Vermillion:archive photosupcoming events