Aurora County, South Dakota Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Aurora County is located in South Dakota with a total population of 2,642. It is the 51st most populous county out of 66 in South Dakota. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Aurora County is 41.7 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 38.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Aurora County is $72,885. This is 3% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 10% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.6%. This is 11% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 1.2%. This is 58% lower than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $151,900. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $257,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.1x, Aurora County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Aurora County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.0%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 2.1%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

21.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 33% lower than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Aurora County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against South Dakota and 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.