Beadle County, South Dakota Demographics 2026

Name: Beadle County, South Dakota Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Beadle County, South Dakota has a population of 19,309, the 11th most populous county in South Dakota. The median household income is $67,681 and the median home value is $175,100. The poverty rate is 13.6%.

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

Beadle County Quick Facts

Population 19,309

Median Household Income $67,681

Median Home Value $175,100

Poverty Rate 13.6%

Unemployment Rate 1.9%

Median Age 37.6 years

Homeownership Rate 72.9%

Affordability Ratio 2.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 27.2%

High School Graduation 87.5%

Cities/Places 11

Population 19,309 11th of 66

Median Income $67,681 10% lower than state

Poverty Rate 13.6%

Unemployment 1.9%

How Beadle County Changed

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

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	19,279	19,309	+0.2%
Median household income	$63,082	$67,681	+7.3%
Median home value	$178,400	$175,100	-1.8%

Median Household Income

Beadle

$67,681

$75,081

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Beadle

$175,100

$257,400

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.6%

$25K-$50K 19.7%

$50K-$100K 32.5%

$100K+ 30.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.4%

$10K-$15K

4.6%

$15K-$20K

3.8%

$20K-$25K

2.8%

$25K-$30K

3.0%

$30K-$35K

4.2%

$35K-$40K

3.0%

$40K-$45K

3.6%

$45K-$50K

5.8%

$50K-$60K

7.6%

$60K-$75K

9.1%

$75K-$100K

15.8%

$100K-$125K

12.5%

$125K-$150K

6.2%

$150K-$200K

5.9%

$200K+

5.6%

Employment

1.9% Unemployment Rate State: 2.9%|National: 5.2%

67.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 72.9%

Renter 27.1%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $879/mo 15.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

28.0%

18-34

18.7%

35-54

22.6%

55-74

22.9%

75+

7.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 35 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Beadle County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Huron	14,385	$61,452	16.1%	$159,000
Wolsey	692	$57,500	6.4%	$101,200
Iroquois	389	$59,926	2.3%	$156,300
Wessington	192	$58,125	21.3%	$102,100
Cavour	186	$90,000	15.0%	$97,100
Yale	122	$62,917	15.6%	$151,700
Hitchcock	91	$67,656	14.3%	$81,000
Morningside	90	$119,028	0.0%	$230,600
Shamrock Colony	72	N/A	59.6%	N/A
Virgil	20	$38,750	0.0%	N/A
Broadland	15	$87,250	0.0%	$56,400

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

Population Overview

Beadle County is located in South Dakota with a total population of 19,309. It is the 11th most populous county out of 66 in South Dakota. The county encompasses 11 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Beadle County is 37.6 years. This is 1% lower than the state median of 38.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Beadle County is $67,681. This is 10% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.6%. This is 14% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 1.9%. This is 35% lower than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $175,100. Housing costs are 32% lower than the state median of $257,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Beadle County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Beadle County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 68.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 14.9%. The Black or African American population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 2.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (14.9% vs 4.8%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (9.8% vs 1.4%).

Education

27.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 15% 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 87.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Beadle 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Beadle County, South Dakota?

Beadle County has a population of 19,309, making it the 11th most populous county in South Dakota.

What is the median income in Beadle County?

The median household income in Beadle County is $67,681 with a poverty rate of 13.6%.

How many cities are in Beadle County, South Dakota?

Beadle County contains 11 Census-designated places.