Central City, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 140, Central 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

Central City is a small community located in South Dakota, within Lawrence County. The total population is 140. It ranks as the 269th most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Central City is 60.4 years. This is 59% higher than the state median of 38.0 years. Only 5.0% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Central City is $47,000. This is 37% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 42% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.6%. This is 70% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 28.1%. This is 857% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $208,300. Housing costs are 19% lower than the state median of $257,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.4x. 95.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 39% higher than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Central City was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 99.3% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

10.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 67% 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 95.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Central 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.