Tripp County, South Dakota Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Tripp County is located in South Dakota with a total population of 5,611. It is the 31st most populous county out of 66 in South Dakota. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Tripp County is 45.0 years. This is 18% higher than the state median of 38.0 years. 11.9% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Tripp County is $58,987. This is 21% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.4%. This is 55% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 1.8%. This is 38% lower than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $132,900. Housing costs are 48% lower than the state median of $257,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Tripp County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 68.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Tripp County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.9%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 2.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 4.8%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

17.7% 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 44% 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 88.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Tripp 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.