Vale, South Dakota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vale, South Dakota
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 Vale, South Dakota
Location in South Dakota
Vale, South Dakota
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Butte |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.49 sq mi (3.86 km2) |
| • Land | 1.49 sq mi (3.86 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,772 ft (845 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 130 |
| • Density | 87.31/sq mi (33.71/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
57788
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| Area code(s) | 605 |
| FIPS code | 46-65940 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2628852 |
Vale is a small community in Butte County, South Dakota, United States. It's called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. It's also a "census-designated place," which means the U.S. Census Bureau counts its population separately.
In 2020, about 130 people lived in Vale. The area uses the ZIP code 57788. Vale once had a public school, and its mascot was "The Beet Diggers." However, the school closed its doors in 1982.
The name "Vale" comes from the fact that the community is located in a valley. A valley is a low area of land between hills or mountains.
A very large place for entertainment and events, called the Full Throttle Saloon, moved to Vale. It's located on 600 acres near Bear Butte and is especially popular with motorcycle enthusiasts. It was even featured in a reality television series!
People in Vale
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 130 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2022, the total number of people living in Vale was 130. The average age of people in Vale was about 58.7 years old. This is much older than the average age for all of South Dakota, which is 38.5 years. Almost half of the people in Vale, about 48.4%, are over 65 years old.
Most residents in Vale, 122 of them, reported being white. A few people reported other backgrounds: 2 were Native American, 2 were Asian, 3 had Hispanic/Latino heritage, and 4 reported being multiracial. The largest group of people by family background were those with Norwegian ancestry, making up 23.7% of residents.
Vale has a higher rate of poverty compared to the rest of South Dakota. The average household income was $20,139. About 26.9% of people in Vale lived in poverty, while the state average was 12.5%. Also, fewer people in Vale have a college degree. Only 11.1% had a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 31.6% across South Dakota.
Most working people in Vale have jobs in education or social services. The next most common type of work is in agriculture, which includes farming.
