City in South Dakota, United States

Spearfish

$449kMedian Home
319Sunny Days/yr
Loading Weather
View on MapPopulation11kCenter elevation3,648 ft
Quick Read

Spearfish is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 12,193 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 13,803 in 2024, making it the 10th most populous city in South Dakota. Spearfish is the largest city in Lawrence County and the home of Black Hills State University.

Queen City
Place

Where It Is

Location Context
Spearfish, South Dakota
Latitude44.49°
Longitude-103.86°
Population11k
Center elevation3,648 ft

State Context

South DakotaU.S. state

South Dakota is a landlocked state in the Upper Midwest, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota Sioux tribe, which comprises a large portion of the population and has historically dominated the territory. South Dakota is the 17th-largest by area, the fifth-least populous, and the fifth-least densely populated of the 50 United States.Wikipedia

Income tax: NoneAvg sales tax: 6.11%Property tax: 1.08%Official school data available

About the Region

Great Plains

The Great Plains represent some of the most genuinely affordable cost of living in the United States. Cities like Omaha, Kansas City, and Des Moines consistently rank near the top of affordability indices while maintaining real cultural amenities. Kansas City has emerged as a surprising food, arts, and startup destination. Omaha's financial services backbone — anchored by Berkshire Hathaway and a cluster of insurance and banking firms — provides white-collar economic stability that defies the region's agricultural image.

The trade-off is climate volatility. Tornado Alley runs directly through this region, with the world's highest concentration of significant tornadoes. Winters bring blizzards and wind chills far below zero, while summers are hot and humid in the east, hotter and drier to the west. The Great Plains remain one of the least densely populated regions in the Lower 48 — long drives between cities, limited public transit, and a car-dependent lifestyle are material considerations for urban transplants.

Outdoors

Nature Access

Nature & Park Feeds

Closest protected landscapes, reserves, and big park systems surfaced from the same nearby feeds used in compare.

Distances in miles
National Park Service feed

Federal Park Sites

Loading nearby nature feeds...
OpenStreetMap feed

Local Nature & Reserves

Loading nearby nature feeds...
Sources: National Park Service and OpenStreetMap
People

City Profile

Median Age38 yrs
College Educated45%bachelor's or higher
Work From Home6%of workforce
Poverty Rate13%
Practical

Cost of Living

Housing
$449k
Median home price
Household Income
$59k
Median annual
The year

Climate

Sunshine
319
sunny days per year
87% of the year
Annual precipitation
20"
inches per year
Typical Air Quality
42
Good · 2024 modeled average
Right now

Current Conditions

Local directory

Local Next Steps

Local Sponsored Directory

Useful local connections for a move to Spearfish

Housing, moving help, and everyday local businesses for people taking a serious look at Spearfish. Sponsored placements are clearly labeled and never influence the city data.

Featured local sponsorAD
Put your business at the top in Spearfish
Higher-visibility city-page placement for local businesses that want more presence than a standard directory listing.
Founding pricing is still available while this first featured slot is open.
Apartments & rentalsAD
Help people land in Spearfish
For apartment groups, rentals, furnished stays, and other housing options.
Moving & logisticsAD
Catch people at the practical moment
For movers, storage, shipping, car transport, and relocation logistics.
Local services & favoritesAD
Anything useful in Spearfish
Pizza joints, local lenders, insurers, cleaning services, coffee shops, and other everyday local businesses.

Compare Spearfish with other cities

Stack it side-by-side against cities you're considering.

Quick Compare