Veblen, South Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 455, Veblen'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

Veblen is a small community located in South Dakota, within Marshall County. The total population is 455. It ranks as the 161st most populous out of 439 Census-designated places in South Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Veblen is 27.3 years. This is 28% lower than the state median of 38.0 years. With 43.1% of the population under 18, Veblen has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Veblen is $64,167. This is 15% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.1%. This is 18% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 1.8%. This is 37% lower than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $43,700. Housing costs are 83% lower than the state median of $257,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 0.7x, Veblen is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 56.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% lower than the state average of 68.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Veblen is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 34.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (34.7%) is well below the state average of 79.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (43.3% vs 4.8%).

Education

26.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 17% 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 78.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Veblen, 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.