Big Stone City, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 706, Big Stone City's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Big Stone City is a small community located in South Dakota, within Grant County. The total population is 706. It ranks as the 115th most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Big Stone City is 46.0 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 38.0 years. 10.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Big Stone City is $63,333. This is 16% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 22% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 24.9%. This is 109% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 0.6%. This is 81% lower than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $151,200. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $257,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Big Stone City is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 69.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% higher than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Big Stone City has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 11.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (11.6% vs 4.8%). The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

15.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 53% 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 89.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Big Stone City, South Dakota is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against South Dakota state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.