AreaScoop
Harrisburg, SD

Photo: Wikipedia

Harrisburg, SD

Find The Best Places To Live
in Harrisburg

PRO TIP! You can paste a Zillow or Redfin link.

Demographics

HomogeneousSimpson's Diversity Index: 19
Population7,790
Foreign Born0.5%
Population Density1,633people per mi²
Median Age30.2 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
GrowingSince 2010, this city's population has grown with relatively minor shifts in racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
B+
Good

Above-average quality of iife. The area offers a reasonable cost of living, decent mobility, and a mix of neighborhood amenities.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

110/100

10% above national average

A-

The Real Cost of Living in Harrisburg, South Dakota

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $22k$40k
Comfortable $55k$80k
Luxury $97k+$150k+
Elite (Top 5%) $114k+$177k+
Affordability Ratio

126%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A-
Hood Index scan area
Premium Lean76%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
4
Positive
1
Poor
1
Negative
0

Groceries

4 within 10 miles

3.3mi

Gas

0 within 10 miles

Hospital

3 within 20 miles

7.1mi

Airport

Marv Skie–Lincoln County Airport

5.5mi

Post Office

USPS — Sioux Falls, SD

7.5mi

Critical Amenities

Golf6Nearest 4 mi
Camping20Nearest 6 mi
Marina0 
Winery0 
Ice Rink1Nearest 7 mi
Gun Range6Nearest 3.1 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
B
Good

An upper-middle-class area. Household wealth, education levels, and homeownership run ahead of national benchmarks.

Median HHI
$102k+12.9%
35% above US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$1.9M
182% above US avg
College Educated
40.5%
16% above US avg
WFH
10.9%
24% below US avg
Homeownership
79.6%
22% above US avg
Median Home
$281k
Equal to US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
B-
Safe

Generally safer than 61% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
15.7
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−20.3%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−20.4%
Homicide
0.03 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Robbery
0.17 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Aggravated Assault
2.29 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg

Property Crime

5yr−20.1%
Burglary
1.50 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Larceny-Theft
9.94 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
1.30 / 1k ResidentsEqual to state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+15Solidly Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Harrisburg, South Dakota
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%70%2000200420082012201620202024

Inherited from parent state — no local data available.

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B+
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
B+
Good8.4% of income
Property Rights
B
GoodIJ Grade B
Firearm Rights
A-
GreatFPC Grade A-
Homeschooling
A-
GoodLow regulation

Energy independence: Importer (35% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
A-
OpenFarm sales legal
Gambling Laws
A
Broadly OpenCasinos · Poker · Sportsbetting
Marijuana Laws
C+
LimitedMedical only

Homesteading

Growing Season174 days212 frost-free
Annual Rainfall29.5"
Elevation1,427 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
B
Defensible

Workable tactical position. Some exposure to population density or targets, but generally defensible in a crisis.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
A+
Great1175 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
C-
Weak1,633/sq mi
Fallout Danger
C-
Weak4 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
D+
WeakTornado
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 385 mi · coast 946 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$41.7M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityOmaha486k people are 155 mi away
Nearest Major AirportNo hub airport within 50 mi
Distance to State Capital193 miPierre, SD
Nearest Prison9.5 mi2 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-19T04:24:08.000Z

What your realtor won't tell you!

Find the best place to live

Go beyond the listing to get the inside scoop on any home in the US.

PRO TIP! You can paste a Zillow or Redfin link.