Fruitdale, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 134, Fruitdale'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

Fruitdale is a small community located in South Dakota, within Butte County. The total population is 134. It ranks as the 275th most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fruitdale is 20.5 years. This is 46% lower than the state median of 38.0 years. With 48.5% of the population under 18, Fruitdale has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fruitdale is $17,450. This is 77% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 78% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 57.5%. This is 382% 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 unemployment rate is 4.0%. This is 37% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $164,400. Housing costs are 36% lower than the state median of $257,400. The home-value-to-income ratio of 9.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 89.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 31% higher than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Fruitdale is White (non-Hispanic), making up 51.5% of the population.

Education

42.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Fruitdale in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 32% 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 Fruitdale, 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.