Eureka, South Dakota Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

by btobers · Published June 28, 2019 · Updated September 12, 2024

Eureka, South Dakota is a small town with a population of just over 1,000 people. It is located in the northern part of the state and sits among rolling hills and grasslands. The climate in Eureka is semi-arid with cold winters and warm summers. Winters are often snowy and the area receives an average of 20 inches of precipitation annually.

The town was first settled in 1887 by a group of Swedish immigrants who were looking for a place to homestead. The town was initially called Swede Creek but changed its name to Eureka in 1896 when it became an incorporated city. Politics in Eureka lean towards conservative values, as is typical for much of South Dakota.

The economy of Eureka is based largely on agriculture, which has been an important part of the town’s history since its founding days. In addition to farming, there are several businesses that provide services to the local community such as restaurants, gas stations, and grocery stores.

Eureka has two public schools: Eureka Public School and Eureka Elementary School. Both schools offer instruction from kindergarten through twelfth grade with a focus on providing quality educational opportunities to all students regardless of their background or ability level.

There are several landmarks that make up the history of Eureka including the old stone church built by early Swedish settlers, the courthouse built in 1902, and the local museum which houses artifacts from early settlers as well as memorabilia from more recent times. Another popular landmark is Old Settlers Park which features walking trails, picnic areas, and other recreational opportunities for visitors to enjoy throughout the year.

Population: 1,101. Estimated population in July 2024: 988 (-10.3% change)
Males: 494 (44.9%), Females: 607 (55.1%)

McPherson County

Zip code: 57437

Demographics

Median resident age: 60.9 years
Median household income: $19,826
Median house value: $19,800

Population by Race

Races in Eureka:

White Non-Hispanic (99.0%)
American Indian (0.5%)

Ancestries: German (59.0%), Russian (16.4%), English (3.7%), United States (3.2%), Norwegian (2.7%), Irish (2.2%).

Elevation: 1891 feet

Land area: 0.9 square miles

Population by Education

Eureka, South Dakota is a small town located in the southeastern corner of the state. The population of Eureka was 1,026 at the 2010 census, which makes it one of the smallest towns in South Dakota. Of those residents, 93.2% were White, 0.3% were Black or African American, 0.3% were Native American and 0.1% were Asian. The remaining 6.1% was made up of other races and two or more races. In terms of age groups, 25.4% of the population was under 18 years old and 10.4% was over 65 years old; the median age for Eureka was 37 years old in 2010 according to the census data from that year.

The town is primarily rural but has seen a modest population growth since 2000 when it had 935 residents recorded in that year’s census data; this growth can be attributed to its close proximity to larger cities like Sioux Falls and Rapid City which are both around two hours away by car from Eureka as well as its relatively low cost of living compared to other parts of South Dakota and nearby states like Iowa and Minnesota. The town is home to several small businesses including a grocery store, hardware store, liquor store, two gas stations and a few restaurants; there are also several churches in Eureka representing various denominations including Lutheran and Catholic faiths among others as well as a public library with regular events for children and adults alike throughout the year such as book clubs or movie nights hosted by local organizations or community members themselves.

For population 25 years and over in Eureka

High school or higher: 52.7%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 9.8%
Graduate or professional degree: 2.7%
Unemployed: 2.0%
Mean travel time to work: 13.3 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Eureka city

Never married: 14.4%
Now married: 62.9%
Separated: 0.2%
Widowed: 16.9%
Divorced: 5.5%

1.3% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: -88 (-7.4%).

Hospitals

Hospital/medical center in Eureka:

EUREKA COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES-CAH (E AVENUE & 9TH STREET)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Eureka:

BOWDLE HOSPITAL – CAH (about 22 miles; BOWDLE, SD)
ASHLEY MEDICAL CENTER – CAH (about 31 miles; ASHLEY, ND)
WISHEK COMMUNITY HOSPITAL – CAH (about 36 miles; WISHEK, ND)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Eureka:

ABERDEEN REGIONAL (about 87 miles; ABERDEEN, SD; Abbreviation: ABR)
JAMESTOWN REGIONAL (about 103 miles; JAMESTOWN, ND; Abbreviation: JMS)
BISMARCK MUNI (about 103 miles; BISMARCK, ND; Abbreviation: BIS)

Other public-use airports nearest to Eureka:

EUREKA MUNI (about 2 miles; EUREKA, SD; Abbreviation: 3W8)
BOWDLE MUNI (about 24 miles; BOWDLE, SD; Abbreviation: 5P3)
ASHLEY MUNI (about 26 miles; ASHLEY, ND; Abbreviation: ASY)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Eureka:

NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY (about 81 miles; ABERDEEN, SD; Full-time enrollment: 2,356)
UNIVERSITY OF MARY (about 105 miles; BISMARCK, ND; Full-time enrollment: 2,203)
BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE (about 109 miles; BISMARCK, ND; Full-time enrollment: 2,205)
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY-MAIN CAMPUS (about 201 miles; FARGO, ND; Full-time enrollment: 8,836)
MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY (about 206 miles; MINOT, ND; Full-time enrollment: 2,662)
NORTH DAKOTA STATE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE (about 212 miles; WAHPETON, ND; Full-time enrollment: 2,176)
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY (about 219 miles; BROOKINGS, SD; Full-time enrollment: 7,353)

Schools

Public high school in Eureka:

EUREKA HI SCH (Students: 93; Location: 706 9TH ST; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Eureka:

EUREKA ELEM (Students: 100; Location: 706 9TH ST; Grades: PK – 06)
EUREKA JR HI (Students: 37; Location: 706 9TH ST; Grades: 07 – 08)

Libraries

Library in Eureka:

KATHRYN SCHULKOSKI PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $9,223; Location: 613 7TH ST; 15,864 books; 320 audio materials; 121 video materials; 13 serial subscriptions)