The Town FilesAberdeen, South Dakota
City in Brown County · population 28,495 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $217,300
- Household income
- $64,405
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 36.4
Aberdeen is a city of 28,495 people in Brown County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $217,300, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks more vibrant than 96% of South Dakota towns, more walkable than 95% of South Dakota towns, hipper than 92% of South Dakota towns.
How Aberdeen ranks
Percentile among South Dakota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of South Dakota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Aberdeen is worth $217,300, above the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $64,405, which is more affordable than 20% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $762 a month. 61.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Aberdeen | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,300 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $762 | $785 |
| Median household income | $64,405 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 61.7% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Aberdeen
| People | Aberdeen | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.0% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.8% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.3% | — |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 11.9 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.7% | 86.7% |
Weather in Aberdeen
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 1.6°F. About 22.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.7 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 180 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Aberdeen since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1996 about 0.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 19 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 13, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 97 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 21, 2015.
Severe weather in Brown County since 1996
Brown County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4718: Flooding |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3475: Covid-19 |
| June 7, 2019 | Flood | DR-4440: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| May 13, 2011 | Flood | DR-1984: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Brown County
Brown County had 19,808 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,430 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Aberdeen itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Aberdeen
12 public schools with 4,283 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School - 01 | 9-12 | 1,374 | 17.4 |
| Holgate Middle School - 02 | 6-8 | 490 | 14.4 |
| Simmons Middle School - 03 | 6-8 | 458 | 14.3 |
| Simmons Elementary - 10 | K-5 | 416 | 14.3 |
| C C Lee Elementary - 05 | K-5 | 373 | 16.2 |
| May Overby Elementary - 09 | K-5 | 353 | 12.6 |
| O M Tiffany Elementary - 11 | K-5 | 290 | 12.6 |
| Mike Miller Elementary - 07 | K-5 | 266 | 14.8 |
| Lincoln Elementary - 08 | PK-5 | 237 | 8.2 |
| SDSBVI High School - 02 | 9-12 | 11 | 2.8 |
| New Beginnings - 89 | 5-12 | 8 | 8.0 |
| SDSBVI Elementary - 01 | PK-8 | 7 | 0.9 |
Aberdeen questions
Is Aberdeen, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Aberdeen scores better for retirees than 33% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 8%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.4).
How much does a house cost in Aberdeen?
The median owner-occupied home in Aberdeen is valued at $217,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,405, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $762 a month.
What is the weather like in Aberdeen?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 1.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.4 inches of precipitation a year and 42.7 inches of snow.
Does Aberdeen get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Aberdeen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1996. The typical South Dakota town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)