The Town FilesMilbank, South Dakota
City in Grant County · population 3,544 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $155,000
- Household income
- $56,011
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 50.0
Milbank is a city of 3,544 people in Grant County, South Dakota. The median home is worth $155,000, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). It ranks better for retirees than 93% of South Dakota towns, quieter than 92% of South Dakota towns, better for cycling than 91% of South Dakota towns.
How Milbank 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 Milbank is worth $155,000, below the typical South Dakota town ($182,100). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $56,011, which is more affordable than 47% of South Dakota towns. Median rent is $548 a month. 69.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Milbank | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $155,000 | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $548 | $785 |
| Median household income | $56,011 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 69.8% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Milbank
| People | Milbank | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.0 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.4% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.2% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.2% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 9.1 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.4% | 86.7% |
Weather in Milbank
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 3.5°F. About 25.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.2 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Milbank since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 3, 1979 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 14, 1957.
Severe weather in Grant County since 1996
Grant County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4718: Flooding |
| June 29, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4656: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And 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 |
Jobs and pay in Grant County
Grant County had 3,854 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,491 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Milbank itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Public schools in Milbank
4 public schools with 1,014 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milbank Elementary - 03 | PK-5 | 429 | 12.3 |
| Milbank High School - 01 | 9-12 | 362 | 13.4 |
| Milbank Middle School - 02 | 6-8 | 213 | 12.5 |
| Blue Sky Colony - 04 | K-8 | 10 | 10.0 |
Milbank questions
Is Milbank, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Milbank scores better for retirees than 93% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 92%. 29.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.0).
How much does a house cost in Milbank?
The median owner-occupied home in Milbank is valued at $155,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,011, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $548 a month.
What is the weather like in Milbank?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 3.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.4 inches of precipitation a year and 32.2 inches of snow.
Does Milbank get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Milbank since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 3, 1979. 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)