Brown County, South Dakota Demographics 2026

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

Brown County, South Dakota has a population of 37,877, the 4th most populous county in South Dakota. The median household income is $70,898 and the median home value is $221,100. The poverty rate is 11.7%.

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

Brown County Quick Facts

Population 37,877

Median Household Income $70,898

Median Home Value $221,100

Poverty Rate 11.7%

Unemployment Rate 3.3%

Median Age 37.8 years

Homeownership Rate 67.6%

Affordability Ratio 3.1x

Bachelor's Degree+ 33.8%

High School Graduation 93.7%

Cities/Places 15

Population 37,877 4th of 66

Median Income $70,898 6% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.7%

Unemployment 3.3%

How Brown 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	38,079	37,877	-0.5%
Median household income	$70,239	$70,898	+0.9%
Median home value	$212,900	$221,100	+3.9%

Median Household Income

Brown

$70,898

$75,081

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Brown

$221,100

$257,400

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.0%

$25K-$50K 19.7%

$50K-$100K 30.6%

$100K+ 32.7%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.1%

$10K-$15K

4.1%

$15K-$20K

3.3%

$20K-$25K

4.6%

$25K-$30K

3.8%

$30K-$35K

4.7%

$35K-$40K

2.7%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

4.3%

$50K-$60K

6.7%

$60K-$75K

10.2%

$75K-$100K

13.7%

$100K-$125K

10.0%

$125K-$150K

5.8%

$150K-$200K

9.3%

$200K+

7.5%

Employment

3.3% Unemployment Rate State: 2.9%|National: 5.2%

68.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 67.6%

Renter 32.4%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.1x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $777/mo 13.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.6%

18-34

22.1%

35-54

23.5%

55-74

23.3%

75+

7.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

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

State average: 35 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Brown County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Aberdeen	28,189	$64,405	13.8%	$217,300
Groton	1,691	$89,861	4.3%	$190,600
Warner	512	$113,750	0.4%	$268,100
Prairiewood Village	474	$160,625	0.0%	$476,700
Hecla	182	N/A	2.8%	$47,100
Columbia	161	$58,295	4.3%	$96,500
Frederick	160	$76,667	11.3%	$85,000
Claremont	106	$46,250	9.4%	N/A
Westport	93	$58,942	0.0%	$101,700
Bath	91	$33,750	48.4%	N/A
Bath Corner	72	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Stratford	62	$58,125	0.0%	$69,300
Hutterville Colony	13	N/A	100.0%	N/A
Mansfield	12	$51,250	0.0%	N/A
Verdon	4	N/A	0.0%	N/A

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

Brown County is located in South Dakota with a total population of 37,877. It is the 4th most populous county out of 66 in South Dakota. The county encompasses 15 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Brown County is 37.8 years. This is about the same as the state median of 38.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Brown County is $70,898. This is 6% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 12% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.7%. This is 2% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 3.3%. This is 12% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $221,100. Housing costs are 14% lower than the state median of $257,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 67.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% lower than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Brown County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.7%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (2.9% vs 1.4%).

Education

33.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 6% higher 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 93.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Brown 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 Brown County, South Dakota?

Brown County has a population of 37,877, making it the 4th most populous county in South Dakota.

What is the median income in Brown County?

The median household income in Brown County is $70,898 with a poverty rate of 11.7%.

How many cities are in Brown County, South Dakota?

Brown County contains 15 Census-designated places.