New Effington, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 269, New Effington'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

New Effington is a small community located in South Dakota, within Roberts County. The total population is 269. It ranks as the 213th most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in New Effington is 32.5 years. This is 14% lower than the state median of 38.0 years. With 29.4% of the population under 18, New Effington has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in New Effington is $50,208. This is 33% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 38% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 20.7%. This is 74% 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 5.9%. This is 101% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $68,000. Housing costs are 74% lower than the state median of $257,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.4x, New Effington is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 68.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in New Effington is White (non-Hispanic), making up 52.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 2.2%.

Education

6.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 79% 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 89.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for New Effington, 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.