The Town FilesPine Ridge, South Dakota
Community in Oglala Lakota County · population 3,138 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $53,060
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 29.6
Pine Ridge is a community of 3,138 people in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota. It ranks better for first-time buyers than 87% of South Dakota towns.
How Pine Ridge 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
Median rent is $750 a month. 47.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pine Ridge | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $182,100 |
| Median rent | $750 | $785 |
| Median household income | $53,060 | $66,086 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 47.3% | 71.0% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Pine Ridge
| People | Pine Ridge | Typical South Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.6 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.3% | 19.4% |
| Under 18 | 38.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.7% | 23.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.5% | 10.1% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.1% | — |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 11.2 min | 17.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.1% | 86.7% |
Weather in Pine Ridge
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 11.7°F. About 16.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.8 inches of snow (typical South Dakota town: 39.8 in). Expect about 46 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 181 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pine Ridge since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical South Dakota town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 21, 1984 about 0.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 6, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 63 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on July 27, 2018.
Severe weather in Oglala Lakota County since 1996
Jobs and pay in Oglala Lakota County
Oglala Lakota County had 3,797 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,583 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Pine Ridge itself the ACS puts it at 7.9%.
Public schools in Pine Ridge
2 public schools with 994 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf Creek School - 02 | PK-8 | 570 | 15.0 |
| Lakota Tech High School - 10 | 9-12 | 424 | 15.7 |
Towns near Pine Ridge
- Chadron, NE26.7 mi · 5,206 people · home $153,800
Pine Ridge questions
Is Pine Ridge, South Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pine Ridge scores better for retirees than 11% of South Dakota towns and quieter than 12%. 7.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.6).
What is the weather like in Pine Ridge?
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 11.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.6 inches of precipitation a year and 45.8 inches of snow.
Does Pine Ridge get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pine Ridge since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 21, 1984. 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)