Timber Lake, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 779, Timber Lake'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

Timber Lake is a small community located in South Dakota, within Dewey County. The total population is 779. It ranks as the 103rd most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Timber Lake is 23.8 years. This is 37% lower than the state median of 38.0 years. With 42.6% of the population under 18, Timber Lake has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Timber Lake is $60,694. This is 19% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.8%. This is 32% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 6.1%. This is 107% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $81,400. Housing costs are 68% lower than the state median of $257,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.3x, Timber Lake is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 63.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% lower than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Timber Lake is White (non-Hispanic), making up 48.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.5%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 2.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 4.8%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

22.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 28% 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 95.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Timber Lake, 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.