Mellette, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 199, Mellette'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

Mellette is a small community located in South Dakota, within Spink County. The total population is 199. It ranks as the 237th most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Mellette is 39.4 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 38.0 years. With 31.7% of the population under 18, Mellette has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Mellette is $106,964. This is 42% higher than the state median of $75,081. It is also 32% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.1%. This is 16% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Mellette, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $201,000. Housing costs are 22% lower than the state median of $257,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Mellette is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 85.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% higher than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Mellette has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 98.5% of all residents.

Education

20.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 37% 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 98.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Mellette, 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.