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Home Garden Lot: Garden & Home Improvement

What Hardiness Zone Is South Dakota?

USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map · 382 ZIP codes · Data updated 2026-10-28

Quick answer

South Dakota spans USDA hardiness zones 4a–5b on the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The most common zone is 4b, covering 48% of South Dakota's ZIP codes, followed by zone 5a (44%). Zone 4b means the coldest night of an average winter reaches −25°F to −20°F (−32°C to −29°C). Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

South Dakota hardiness zones by share of ZIP codes

Zone 4a6% · 24 ZIPs
Zone 4b48% · 183 ZIPs
Zone 5a44% · 168 ZIPs
Zone 5b2% · 7 ZIPs

What the zones mean for South Dakota gardeners

  • Coldest and warmest towns: among towns with NOAA weather stations, Summit 1 W (1,955 ft) is in zone 4a, while Pickstown (1,490 ft) is in zone 5b. That is a difference of about 15°F in the coldest night of a typical winter.
  • Same zone, different frost dates: within zone 4b, the median last spring frost ranges from May 1 at Waubay Natl Wild Life to May 30 at Lodgepole 5SW, 29 days apart. Your zone tells you which perennials survive winter; your frost dates tell you when to plant.

Typical frost dates in each South Dakota zone

Medians across NOAA weather stations in each zone. Colder zones usually have later spring frosts, but local terrain can shift the dates by weeks.

ZoneLast spring frostFirst fall frostStations
4aMay 9September 2910
4bMay 7October 155
5aMay 7October 348
5bMay 8October 54

Hardiness zones for South Dakota cities

Zones at the National Weather Service stations, mostly city airports, with their median frost dates.
Aberdeen4a−30°F to −25°F1,302May 9Sep 26
Buffalo Asos4b−25°F to −20°F3,004May 10Oct 1
Chamberlain Municipal Airport5a−20°F to −15°F1,703May 1Oct 7
Custer County Airport5a−20°F to −15°F5,545May 23Sep 24
Huron Regional Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,280May 6Oct 2
Mobridge Municipal Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,715May 5Oct 4
Philip Airport5a−20°F to −15°F2,206May 11Sep 30
Pierre 24 S5a−20°F to −15°F2,124May 6Oct 7
Pine Ridge Airport5a−20°F to −15°F3,278May 16Sep 27
Rapid City Regional Airport5a−20°F to −15°F3,160May 12Oct 1
Sioux Falls5a−20°F to −15°F1,430May 1Oct 6
Sioux Falls 14 NNE5a−20°F to −15°F1,594May 1Oct 4
Watertown Regional Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,748May 7Sep 30
Yankton 2 E5a−20°F to −15°F1,180Apr 27Oct 11

Hardiness zones for 117 towns in South Dakota

Each NOAA weather station is shown with the USDA zone of the nearest ZIP code (within 8 miles). Coldest night is the zone's range for the average annual extreme minimum temperature. Click a column to sort.
Aberdeen4a−30°F to −25°F1,302May 9Sep 26
Aberdeen 3 E4a−30°F to −25°F1,301May 8Sep 29
Academy 2NE5a−20°F to −15°F1,681Apr 30Oct 8
Alexandria5a−20°F to −15°F1,365May 8Sep 29
Andover #24b−25°F to −20°F1,478May 6Oct 4
Arlington 1 W4b−25°F to −20°F1,824May 3Oct 2
Armour5a−20°F to −15°F1,510May 3Oct 6
Astoria 4S4b−25°F to −20°F1,890May 6Oct 3
Bear Ridge5a−20°F to −15°F3,900May 17Sep 27
Belle Fourche 22 NNW4b−25°F to −20°F3,200May 15Sep 24
Bonesteel5a−20°F to −15°F1,985May 3Oct 10
Bridgewater5a−20°F to −15°F1,417Apr 30Oct 7
Britton4a−30°F to −25°F1,355May 13Sep 26
Brookings 2 NE4b−25°F to −20°F1,639May 6Oct 1
Buffalo Asos4b−25°F to −20°F3,004May 10Oct 1
Camp Crook4b−25°F to −20°F3,120May 17Sep 24
Canton5a−20°F to −15°F1,316May 2Oct 2
Castlewood4a−30°F to −25°F1,685May 10Sep 27
Centerville 6 SE5a−20°F to −15°F1,276May 2Oct 1
Chamberlain Municipal Airport5a−20°F to −15°F1,703May 1Oct 7
Clark4b−25°F to −20°F1,804May 5Oct 5
Clear Lake4b−25°F to −20°F1,812May 7Oct 1
Columbia 8 N4a−30°F to −25°F1,305May 7Sep 29
Conde4a−30°F to −25°F1,330May 6Sep 29
Custer County Airport5a−20°F to −15°F5,545May 23Sep 24
De Smet4b−25°F to −20°F1,705May 5Oct 4
Dupree4b−25°F to −20°F2,388May 8Oct 1
Edgemont4b−25°F to −20°F3,432May 23Sep 20
Elm Springs 3 ESE4b−25°F to −20°F2,645May 8Oct 3
Eureka4b−25°F to −20°F1,871May 12Sep 27
Faith4b−25°F to −20°F2,592May 6Oct 5
Faulkton 1 NW4b−25°F to −20°F1,597May 10Sep 28
Flandreau4b−25°F to −20°F1,567May 5Oct 1
Forestburg 4 NNE4b−25°F to −20°F1,277May 9Sep 28
Gann Valley 4NW4b−25°F to −20°F1,720May 6Oct 1
Gregory5a−20°F to −15°F2,160May 6Oct 3
Harrington5a−20°F to −15°F2,980May 11Oct 1
Harrold 12 SSW4b−25°F to −20°F1,701May 17Sep 24
Hereford 12 SW5a−20°F to −15°F2,810May 8Oct 3
Highmore 1 W4b−25°F to −20°F1,888May 12Oct 1
Hot Springs5a−20°F to −15°F3,560May 16Sep 27
Howard4b−25°F to −20°F1,570May 5Oct 2
Huron Regional Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,280May 6Oct 2
Ipswich4b−25°F to −20°F1,547May 8Sep 29
Johnson Siding5a−20°F to −15°F4,184May 20Sep 25
Kennebec5a−20°F to −15°F1,681May 12Sep 28
Kyle 2 E5a−20°F to −15°F2,958May 11Oct 1
Lake Sharpe Prj4b−25°F to −20°F1,461May 6Oct 5
Lead5a−20°F to −15°F5,112May 18Sep 29
Lemmon4b−25°F to −20°F2,567May 10Sep 30
Leola4b−25°F to −20°F1,580May 9Sep 28
Lodgepole 5SW4b−25°F to −20°F2,570May 30Sep 11
Longvalley5a−20°F to −15°F2,470May 9Oct 1
Ludlow 3 SSE4b−25°F to −20°F2,990May 16Sep 26
Madison 2SE4b−25°F to −20°F1,643May 5Sep 30
Manderson 3 NE5a−20°F to −15°F3,095May 9Oct 4
Martin5a−20°F to −15°F3,330May 13Oct 2
Mc Intosh 6 SE4b−25°F to −20°F2,179May 9Sep 30
Mc Laughlin4b−25°F to −20°F2,001May 12Sep 28
Mellette 4 W4a−30°F to −25°F1,296May 11Sep 27
Menno5a−20°F to −15°F1,332May 1Oct 4
Milbank4b−25°F to −20°F1,142May 5Oct 2
Milbank 4 NW4b−25°F to −20°F1,145May 2Oct 4
Milesville 5 NE4b−25°F to −20°F2,237May 8Oct 2
Miller4b−25°F to −20°F1,576May 3Oct 3
Mission5a−20°F to −15°F2,587May 9Oct 1
Mitchell 2 N5a−20°F to −15°F1,250May 2Oct 6
Mobridge Municipal Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,715May 5Oct 4
Montrose 8N5a−20°F to −15°F1,718May 3Oct 4
Mount Rushmore Nmem5a−20°F to −15°F5,311May 15Oct 1
Murdo5a−20°F to −15°F2,316May 3Oct 9
Oahe Dam4b−25°F to −20°F1,663May 6Oct 5
Oelrichs5a−20°F to −15°F3,348May 15Sep 30
Oglala 1S5a−20°F to −15°F2,995May 7Oct 4
Onida 4 NW4b−25°F to −20°F1,851May 8Oct 2
Oral5a−20°F to −15°F2,960May 15Sep 27
Philip Airport5a−20°F to −15°F2,206May 11Sep 30
Pickstown5b−15°F to −10°F1,490Apr 30Oct 13
Pickstown 4SSW5a−20°F to −15°F1,707Apr 27Oct 13
Pierre 24 S5a−20°F to −15°F2,124May 6Oct 7
Pine Ridge Airport5a−20°F to −15°F3,278May 16Sep 27
Pollock4a−30°F to −25°F1,639May 8Sep 30
Ralph 1 N4b−25°F to −20°F2,790May 18Sep 23
Rapid City 4NW5a−20°F to −15°F3,479May 10Oct 5
Rapid City Regional Airport5a−20°F to −15°F3,160May 12Oct 1
Rapid City WFO5b−15°F to −10°F3,379May 3Oct 8
Red Owl4b−25°F to −20°F2,773May 16Sep 26
Redfield4b−25°F to −20°F1,309May 8Oct 1
Roscoe4b−25°F to −20°F1,835May 7Oct 3
Roy Lake4a−30°F to −25°F1,810May 2Oct 9
Salem 5NE5a−20°F to −15°F1,594May 7Sep 29
Selby4b−25°F to −20°F1,908May 8Oct 1
Sioux Falls5a−20°F to −15°F1,430May 1Oct 6
Sioux Falls 14 NNE5a−20°F to −15°F1,594May 1Oct 4
Sioux Falls WFO Airport5a−20°F to −15°F1,430Apr 26Oct 13
Sisseton4b−25°F to −20°F1,209May 4Oct 3
Spearfish5b−15°F to −10°F3,633May 12Oct 2
Stephan 2 NW4b−25°F to −20°F1,805May 10Sep 29
Summit 1 W4a−30°F to −25°F1,955May 14Sep 28
Timber Lake4b−25°F to −20°F2,173May 10Sep 30
Turton4b−25°F to −20°F1,335May 7Oct 3
Tyndall5a−20°F to −15°F1,420May 1Oct 7
Vermillion 2 SE5a−20°F to −15°F1,137May 3Oct 3
Victor 4 N4b−25°F to −20°F1,095May 4Oct 3
Wagner5a−20°F to −15°F1,430Apr 29Oct 9
Wasta5a−20°F to −15°F2,328May 10Oct 1
Watertown Regional Airport4b−25°F to −20°F1,748May 7Sep 30
Waubay Natl Wild Life4b−25°F to −20°F1,827May 1Oct 12
Webster4b−25°F to −20°F1,861May 4Oct 6
Wentworth 2.5 WNW4b−25°F to −20°F1,722May 2Oct 5
Wessington Springs5a−20°F to −15°F1,715May 2Oct 8
White Lake5a−20°F to −15°F1,629May 3Oct 5
Wilmot4b−25°F to −20°F1,201May 5Oct 1
Wind Cave5b−15°F to −10°F4,155May 15Sep 29
Winfred 2S4b−25°F to −20°F1,705May 6Oct 3
Wood5a−20°F to −15°F2,180May 10Oct 1
Yankton 2 E5a−20°F to −15°F1,180Apr 27Oct 11

Frequently asked questions

What hardiness zone is South Dakota?

South Dakota is in USDA hardiness zones 4a–5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 4b is the most common, covering 48% of South Dakota's ZIP codes, and zone 5a covers 44%. Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

What does zone 4b mean?

Zone 4b means the average annual extreme minimum temperature, the coldest night of a typical winter, is −25°F to −20°F (−32°C to −29°C). Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for zone 4b or colder should survive winter there.

What is the coldest hardiness zone in South Dakota?

Zone 4a is the coldest zone mapped in South Dakota, found around Summit 1 W, and zone 5b is the warmest, found around Pickstown.

Did South Dakota's hardiness zones change in 2023?

The USDA released a new Plant Hardiness Zone Map in November 2023, based on 1991–2020 temperatures instead of 1976–2005. About half of the United States shifted half a zone warmer. Check your ZIP code here, because plant tags and older books may still list your 2012 zone.

When should I plant in zone 4b?

Hardiness zones don't set planting dates; frost dates do. Inside zone 4b in South Dakota, the median last spring frost varies from May 1 to May 30. Look up your local frost dates and plant tender crops such as tomatoes after the 10%-risk last-frost date.

Zone and frost dates: use both

Your hardiness zone answers one question: will this plant survive the winter here? Choose perennials, shrubs, trees and bulbs rated for your zone or a colder one. For vegetables and annuals, what matters is the length of the frost-free season. See South Dakota frost dates by town, or get a planting calendar for your ZIP code with start-indoors, transplant and sowing dates for 30 crops.

Sources and method

Zones are from the USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP-code files published by the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, based on 1991–2020 minimum temperatures. ZIP codes are assigned to states by USPS prefix. Town zones use the ZIP code nearest each NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals station. This is an independent tool, not an official USDA site. Full methodology.

Hardiness zones in other states