Clear Lake, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 41, Clear Lake'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

Clear Lake is a small community located in South Dakota, within Marshall County. The total population is 41. It ranks as the 380th most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Clear Lake is 68.1 years. This is 79% higher than the state median of 38.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Clear Lake is $18,750. This is 75% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 77% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 51.2%. This is 329% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Clear Lake, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. 7.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 88% lower than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Clear Lake is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Black or African American residents account for 2.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (12.2%) is well below the state average of 79.8%.

Education

0.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. 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 Clear Lake, 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.