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South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, South Dakota had a total population of 907,428, with a median household income of $75,081, which is 7% lower than the national average. The poverty rate is 11.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

South Dakota Quick Facts

Population 907,428
Median Household Income $75,081
Median Home Value $257,400
Poverty Rate 11.9%
Unemployment Rate 2.9%
Median Age 38.0 years
Homeownership Rate 68.6%
Affordability Ratio 3.4x
Bachelor's Degree+ 31.9%
High School Graduation 93.2%
Counties 66
Cities/Places 439
Population 907,428
Median Income $75,081 7% lower than national
Poverty Rate 11.9%
Unemployment 2.9%

How South Dakota Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population899,194907,428+0.9%
Median household income$72,421$75,081+3.7%
Median home value$236,800$257,400+8.7%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.0%
$25K-$50K 18.5%
$50K-$100K 32.0%
$100K+ 35.4%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
4.2%
$10K-$15K
3.2%
$15K-$20K
3.2%
$20K-$25K
3.5%
$25K-$30K
3.5%
$30K-$35K
3.5%
$35K-$40K
3.7%
$40K-$45K
3.9%
$45K-$50K
4.0%
$50K-$60K
7.7%
$60K-$75K
9.7%
$75K-$100K
14.6%
$100K-$125K
11.2%
$125K-$150K
7.7%
$150K-$200K
8.5%
$200K+
8.1%

Employment

2.9% Unemployment Rate National: 5.2%
67.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 68.6%
Renter 31.4%
Affordability Index Affordable
3.4x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $946/mo 15.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

35out of 100
Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 35 | National average: 61

Education

Largest Cities in South Dakota

#CityPopulationMedian IncomePoverty
1Sioux Falls201,469$75,9709.6%
2Rapid City77,946$70,87012.5%
3Aberdeen28,189$64,40513.8%
4Brookings23,948$63,49316.9%
5Watertown23,044$69,6009.0%
6Mitchell15,649$58,62012.5%
7Yankton15,540$67,80414.1%
8Huron14,385$61,45216.1%
9Pierre13,948$77,67210.1%
10Spearfish12,930$65,68815.2%

Richest Cities in South Dakota

#CityMedian IncomeHome ValueBachelor's+
1Dakota Dunes$136,125$565,60059.8%
2Tea$120,139$351,10047.1%
3Summerset$119,271$368,30038.4%
4Brandon$110,806$336,60041.9%
5Harrisburg$108,724$312,20043.8%
6Baltic$107,768$254,20024.7%
7Dell Rapids$100,170$301,70038.9%
8Hartford$99,893$257,70034.3%
9Crooks$98,984$295,40036.4%
10Colonial Pine Hills$98,696$406,50030.4%

Most Affordable Cities in South Dakota

By home-value-to-income ratio (lower = more affordable). Min. population 1,000.

#CityRatioHome ValueIncome
1North Eagle Butte1.0x$33,100$34,358
2Eagle Butte1.4x$65,900$45,741
3Rosebud1.5x$81,300$55,135
4Lemmon1.7x$86,200$50,147
5Clear Lake1.9x$162,500$84,792
6Gettysburg2.0x$125,000$63,929
7Tyndall2.0x$101,500$50,481
8Redfield2.1x$120,200$58,229
9Clark2.1x$122,800$58,750
10Mobridge2.1x$136,800$65,357

Explore South Dakota Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

All Counties in South Dakota (66)

66 results
Minnehaha County203,289$76,8808.8%$287,600
Pennington County113,512$74,51711.2%$302,200
Lincoln County70,638$99,1665.6%$348,300
Brown County37,877$70,89811.7%$221,100
Brookings County35,353$70,06413.2%$264,600
Meade County30,546$74,7907.1%$310,900
Codington County28,767$72,7278.8%$237,700
Lawrence County27,233$73,38411.6%$346,500
Yankton County23,414$72,82111.9%$225,900
Davison County19,952$66,20811.2%$205,800
Beadle County19,309$67,68113.6%$175,100
Hughes County17,664$81,3959.2%$242,000
Union County17,081$89,6366.2%$301,100
Clay County15,219$56,85019.7%$232,300
Oglala Lakota County13,491$41,41757.6%$52,900
Lake County10,972$76,8088.4%$247,600
Butte County10,676$75,6528.6%$244,600
Roberts County10,221$65,13015.7%$154,500
Charles Mix County9,281$64,03824.0%$170,600
Todd County9,244$42,07548.4%$53,900
Custer County8,892$84,1129.0%$372,100
Turner County8,882$75,7719.3%$222,900
Grant County7,563$75,02811.6%$171,000
Hutchinson County7,404$73,97712.2%$163,000
Fall River County7,258$67,91716.6%$193,200
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All Cities & Places in South Dakota (439)

439 results
Sioux Falls201,469$75,9709.6%$292,400
Rapid City77,946$70,87012.5%$299,400
Aberdeen28,189$64,40513.8%$217,300
Brookings23,948$63,49316.9%$265,500
Watertown23,044$69,6009.0%$229,400
Mitchell15,649$58,62012.5%$192,200
Yankton15,540$67,80414.1%$222,700
Huron14,385$61,45216.1%$159,000
Pierre13,948$77,67210.1%$230,700
Spearfish12,930$65,68815.2%$346,200
Box Elder12,902$73,0087.5%$302,100
Vermillion11,878$50,45624.4%$219,000
Brandon10,996$110,8061.4%$336,600
Harrisburg8,519$108,7240.5%$312,200
Sturgis7,086$54,4049.2%$271,200
Rapid Valley6,975$83,2084.5%$255,500
Tea6,786$120,1394.7%$351,100
Madison6,094$65,5939.5%$193,100
Belle Fourche5,804$65,07110.6%$222,500
Dakota Dunes3,936$136,1252.4%$565,600
Dell Rapids3,905$100,1709.4%$301,700
Hot Springs3,548$66,33821.1%$202,600
Milbank3,525$56,01113.2%$155,000
Hartford3,478$99,8935.5%$257,700
North Sioux City3,045$71,90811.0%$269,800
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Download South Dakota Data

Free CSV downloads of South Dakota demographic data — no account or payment required. Files use official Census place names (e.g. "Springfield city", "Oakdale CDP"), so they match Census Bureau sources exactly.

📊
Cities Data (CSV) All cities: population, income, housing, race, education
📋
Counties Data (CSV) All counties: population, income, housing, race, education

Population Overview

South Dakota has a total population of 907,428, making it a smaller state in the nation. The median age is 38.0 years, 2% lower than the national median of 38.9 years.

Age Demographics

The median age in South Dakota is 38.0 years. This is 2% lower than the national median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in South Dakota is $75,081. This is 7% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.9%. This is 4% lower than the national poverty rate of 12.4%. The unemployment rate is 2.9%. This is 44% lower than the national rate of 5.2%. The median home value is $257,400. Housing costs are 23% lower than the national median of $332,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 68.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% higher than the national average of 65.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in South Dakota is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.8%. The Black or African American population (2.1%) is well below the national average of 11.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (4.8%) is well below the national average of 19.3%. The Asian population (1.4%) is well below the national average of 5.9%.

Education

31.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 11% lower than the national rate of 35.7%. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for South Dakota come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of South Dakota?

South Dakota has a total population of 907,428 according to the U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median income in South Dakota?

The median household income in South Dakota is $75,081, which is 7% lower than the national median of $80,734.

How many cities are in South Dakota?

South Dakota has 439 Census-designated places (cities, towns, and CDPs) and 66 counties.

What is the poverty rate in South Dakota?

The poverty rate in South Dakota is 11.9%, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

What is the largest city in South Dakota?

The largest city in South Dakota is Sioux Falls with a population of 201,469.