Pennington County, South Dakota Demographics 2026

Name: Pennington County, South Dakota Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Pennington County, South Dakota has a population of 113,512, the 2nd most populous county in South Dakota. The median household income is $74,517 and the median home value is $302,200. The poverty rate is 11.2%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Pennington County Quick Facts

Population 113,512

Median Household Income $74,517

Median Home Value $302,200

Poverty Rate 11.2%

Unemployment Rate 3.1%

Median Age 40.1 years

Homeownership Rate 69.3%

Affordability Ratio 4.1x

Bachelor's Degree+ 34.6%

High School Graduation 94.6%

Cities/Places 14

Population 113,512 2nd of 66

Median Income $74,517 about the same as state

Poverty Rate 11.2%

Unemployment 3.1%

How Pennington County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	112,081	113,512	+1.3%
Median household income	$70,768	$74,517	+5.3%
Median home value	$270,400	$302,200	+11.8%

Median Household Income

Pennington

$74,517

$75,081

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Pennington

$302,200

$257,400

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.8%

$25K-$50K 18.0%

$50K-$100K 34.1%

$100K+ 34.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.2%

$10K-$15K

3.4%

$15K-$20K

3.0%

$20K-$25K

3.2%

$25K-$30K

3.5%

$30K-$35K

3.7%

$35K-$40K

3.8%

$40K-$45K

3.4%

$45K-$50K

3.6%

$50K-$60K

9.3%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

15.6%

$100K-$125K

11.3%

$125K-$150K

6.6%

$150K-$200K

7.2%

$200K+

8.9%

Employment

3.1% Unemployment Rate State: 2.9%|National: 5.2%

64.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 69.3%

Renter 30.7%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.1x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,120/mo 18.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.0%

18-34

21.0%

35-54

22.9%

55-74

26.9%

75+

7.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 35 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Pennington County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Rapid City	77,946	$70,870	12.5%	$299,400
Box Elder	12,902	$73,008	7.5%	$302,100
Rapid Valley	6,975	$83,208	4.5%	$255,500
Colonial Pine Hills	2,609	$98,696	0.2%	$406,500
Green Valley	1,642	$81,582	1.0%	$280,300
Ashland Heights	1,105	$57,353	30.7%	$219,600
Hill City	834	$95,385	2.6%	$286,200
Johnson Siding	704	$102,716	10.2%	$471,700
Wall	622	$58,984	8.8%	$164,800
New Underwood	509	$56,250	25.8%	$193,800
Keystone	336	$64,702	6.9%	$263,900
Wasta	70	$34,375	8.6%	$108,800
Quinn	48	$79,000	0.0%	N/A
Caputa	27	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore South Dakota Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Pennington County is located in South Dakota with a total population of 113,512. It is the 2nd most populous county out of 66 in South Dakota. The county encompasses 14 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Pennington County is 40.1 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 38.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Pennington County is $74,517. This is about the same as the state median of $75,081. It is also 8% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.2%. This is 6% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 3.1%. This is 8% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $302,200. Housing costs are 17% higher than the state median of $257,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.1x. 69.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% higher than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Pennington County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 77.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.7%.

Education

34.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 9% higher 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 94.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Pennington 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Pennington County, South Dakota?

Pennington County has a population of 113,512, making it the 2nd most populous county in South Dakota.

What is the median income in Pennington County?

The median household income in Pennington County is $74,517 with a poverty rate of 11.2%.

How many cities are in Pennington County, South Dakota?

Pennington County contains 14 Census-designated places.