Valley Springs, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 996, Valley Springs'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

Valley Springs is a small community located in South Dakota, within Minnehaha County. The total population is 996. It ranks as the 76th most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Valley Springs is 37.0 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 38.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Valley Springs is $107,222. This is 43% higher than the state median of $75,081. It is also 33% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.8%. This is 26% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 4.2%. This is 42% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $192,600. Housing costs are 25% lower than the state median of $257,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Valley Springs is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% higher than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Valley Springs has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.9% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 0.6%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 2.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 4.8%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

17.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 45% 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 95.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Valley Springs, 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.