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Belle Fourche, SD

Full City Profile · South Dakota · Lawrence County County

3.0 /5.0
B Good
5,741 Population 638/sq mi density
$59,920 Median Income $36,431 per capita
$188,800 Home Value $332,557 Zillow
$947 Median Rent 28.4% income on rent
48°F Avg Temperature 311 sunny days/yr
196 Violent Crime/100K 1,554 property/100K
B
Overall
3.0 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B+
Economy
3.7 / 5.0
$59,920 median income, 4.5% unemployment
A+
Affordability
4.9 / 5.0
$188,800 home value, $947/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
196 violent crimes/100K
C
Education
2.2 / 5.0
15.2% bachelor's degree or higher

Belle Fourche, SD

At a Glance

Median Income
$59,920
20% below
$36,431 per capita
Home Value
$188,800
33% below
Zillow: $332,557
Median Rent
$947/mo
19% below
28.4% of income on rent
Violent Crime
196/100K
48% below
1,554/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
15.2%
55% below
83.9% high school+
Unemployment
4.5%
25% above
6.6% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
36.0%
12% above
17.6% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
48°F
311 sunny days/yr

How Belle Fourche Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Belle Fourche's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
80%
Home Value
67%
Rent
81%
Poverty
53%
Bachelor's
45%
Unemployment
125%
Crime
52%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Belle Fourche a Good Place to Live?

B
3.0 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Belle Fourche residents earn a median household income of $59,920 , which is 20% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $36,431. The unemployment rate stands at 4.5% (25% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 6.6% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 1,630 business establishments, including 155 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Belle Fourche is $188,800 , 33% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $332,557. Median rent is $947/month, with 28.4% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 88.6 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1977.

Safety & Crime

Belle Fourche reports 196 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 48% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 1,554/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

15.2% of adults in Belle Fourche hold a bachelor's degree or higher (55% below the national average). 83.9% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.8/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Belle Fourche has an average annual temperature of 48°F (9°C). Winters average 25°F in January while summers reach 74°F in July. The area gets 311 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 18.0 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 35.

Data Overview

People

Population5,741
Median Age36.8 yrs
Density638/mi²
Male / Female51% / 50%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans8.4%

Economy

B+
Median Income$59,920
Per Capita$36,431
Unemployment4.5%
Poverty6.6%
County GDP$1,848M
Avg Weekly Wage$965

Housing

A+
Home Value$188,800
Rent$947
Ownership72.5%
Zillow$332,557
Housing Units2,547
Rent Burden28.4%

Crime

F
Violent196/100K
Property1,554/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault143/100K
Burglary125/100K

Health

Obesity36.0%
Diabetes10.0%
Smoking17.6%
Heart Disease5.9%
Premature Death6,603/100K

Climate

Avg Temp48°F
Sunny Days311/yr
Rain18.0 in/yr
AQI35 (Good)
Elevation3,127 ft

Education

C
Bachelor's+15.2%
High School+83.9%
Graduate+3.6%
School Score5.8/10

Community

2024 VoteR 64% / D 33%
Commute23 min
Broadband90.6%
Internet Speed159 Mbps
EV Stations6
Libraries4

Did You Know?

The median home in Belle Fourche was built in 1977.
The nearest airport is Ellsworth Afb (52 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.472 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
15.1% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 159 Mbps.
There are 155 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 4 fatal vehicle crashes.