Boulder Canyon, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 841, Boulder Canyon'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

Boulder Canyon is a small community located in South Dakota, within Lawrence County. The total population is 841. It ranks as the 97th most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Boulder Canyon is 53.0 years. This is 39% higher than the state median of 38.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Boulder Canyon is $74,281. This is 1% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 8% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 1.1%. This is 91% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Boulder Canyon, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $597,800. Housing costs are 132% higher than the state median of $257,400. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.0x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 68.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Boulder Canyon is White (non-Hispanic), making up 67.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 19.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (19.9% vs 4.8%).

Education

37.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 18% higher than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Boulder Canyon, 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.