Brule County, South Dakota Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Brule County is located in South Dakota with a total population of 5,283. It is the 33rd most populous county out of 66 in South Dakota. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Brule County is 41.5 years. This is 9% higher than the state median of 38.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Brule County is $73,720. This is 2% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 9% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.7%. This is 11% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 1.5%. This is 49% lower than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $216,800. Housing costs are 16% lower than the state median of $257,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Brule County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 76.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Brule County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 81.2% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.3%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 2.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 4.8%.

Education

28.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 10% 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 90.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Brule 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.