Jackson County, South Dakota Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Jackson County is located in South Dakota with a total population of 2,802. It is the 50th most populous county out of 66 in South Dakota. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Jackson County is 34.3 years. This is 10% lower than the state median of 38.0 years. With 32.9% of the population under 18, Jackson County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Jackson County is $35,417. This is 53% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 56% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 42.4%. This is 255% 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 7.2%. This is 145% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $117,300. Housing costs are 54% lower than the state median of $257,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 67.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% lower than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Jackson County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (36.6%) is well below the state average of 79.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 4.8%.

Education

12.4% 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. This is 61% 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 90.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Jackson 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.