Beadle County, South Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Beadle County, SD Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
B
Health Around average
-
C
Income Below average
-
D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Beadle County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,309 | 907,403 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 15.3 | 11.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.78% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.5 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 7,536 | 365,533 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Beadle County grew by 21.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 19,309 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Beadle County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 20.1% of residents. That is 1.6 points above South Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 3,596 18.6% -3.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,598 18.6% -1.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,874 20.1% +1.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,376 17.5% +0.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below South Dakota, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.5% of the people living in Beadle County and men 49.5%.
- Women 50.5% South Dakota 49.6%
- Men 49.5% South Dakota 50.4%
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Economy
Beadle County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Beadle County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,430 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.39% | 4.61% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Beadle County is about 9% lower than in South Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Beadle County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $110,156 | $92,142 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $878 | $946 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.9% | 68.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Beadle County is about 10.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $878 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Beadle County spend about 22 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 92 hours, about 3.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Beadle County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 11.1 | 15.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 22.2 | 30.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 92 | 128 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $2,862 | $3,961 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 713 | 2,777 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 215 | 353 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
South Dakota:
Jones County (6.7 min), Bennett County (7.5 min), Jackson County (7.8 min).
Slowest:
Custer County (25.5 min), McCook County (25.4 min), Turner County (23.1 min).
The average commute time in Beadle County is 11 minutes, shorter than the 15 minutes in South Dakota.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Beadle County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Beadle County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 28.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.48 | 2.40 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
South Dakota:
Clay County (0.4), Lincoln County (0.3), Stanley County (0.3).
Lowest:
Buffalo County (0.1), Mellette County (0.2), Oglala Lakota County (0.2).
Health
Beadle County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Beadle County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.8 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.7% | 13.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.0% | 19.9% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
South Dakota:
Brookings County (0.8), Lincoln County (0.8), Clay County (0.8).
Lowest:
Todd County (0.7), Buffalo County (0.7), Mellette County (0.7).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Beadle County, South Dakota.
How big is Beadle County, South Dakota by population?
About 19,309 people live in Beadle County, South Dakota, in 7,536 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 38.5, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Beadle County, South Dakota mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Beadle County, South Dakota has 15 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 18% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Beadle County, South Dakota an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.6 times the median household income ($110,156 against $68,430), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $878 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Beadle County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Beadle County, South Dakota is only 1.9%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Beadle County, South Dakota?
23.3% of adults in Beadle County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 4), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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