Whitewood’s story
Whitewood in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
WhitewoodSD
A town of 912. A typical home worth about $421K.
Photo: Jerry Huddleston from Hampton, Minnesota, US · CC BY 2.0
Population
912
−5.2% since 2010
Typical home
$421K
+0.1% in a year
Household income
$78K
median
Median age
40.1
years
Jobs based here
131
A commuter town
What makes Whitewood stand out
The thing Whitewood does most differently from other towns.
Small town
912 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Whitewood’s report card
Now in Whitewood
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Whitewood? Is a B− for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Whitewood’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Whitewood. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Whitewood
Most working residents leave Whitewood for work: only 2% work in town. The top destinations are Spearfish (35%), Rapid City (16%) and Sturgis (7%). Half commute less than 11 miles.
2%work in town
Where working residents work
In Whitewood2%
Spearfish35%
Rapid City16%
Sturgis7%
Deadwood6%
11 mi
median commute distance
131
jobs based in Whitewood
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
A typical Whitewood home is worth about $421K
The typical Whitewood home is worth about $421,000, about the same as a year ago, 31% above the South Dakota typical home.
$421KZillow home value
Typical home value
Whitewood$421K
South Dakota$322K
+0.1%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities.
70risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Whitewood has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 48 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
48″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–38°
Spring32–57°
Summer55–82°
Fall35–60°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Crime reported in Whitewood
6 crimes were reported in Whitewood in 2025: 4 property and 2 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Whitewood is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
4
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Health
How healthy Whitewood is
Whitewood beats the South Dakota average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
26 measures vs. South Dakota
1 better25 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Whitewood | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults seeing a dentist | 73.3% | 69.2% |
Monument Health Sturgis Hospital
7.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools
Whitewood’s public schools outperform 51% of South Dakota districts
The public schools Whitewood’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitewood Elementary - 04 | PK–5 | 138 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state tests and graduationAll 1 schools →
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Whitewood for work
Where Whitewood’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
131jobs based in Whitewood
2%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Whitewood
City in South Dakota, United States
Whitewood is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 879 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 879
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3,655 ft
- ZIP code
- 57793
- Area code
- 605
More about Whitewood
Still missing for Whitewood:archive photosupcoming events