Bennett County, South Dakota Income Statistics
Bennett County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Bennett County Well below averageLess wealthy than 89% of counties in South Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Bennett County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $55,416 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,210 | $53,860 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.9% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.2% | 10.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.2% | 8.1% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Bennett County is about 26% lower than in South Dakota. Income has been growing slower in Bennett County (2.9%/yr) than in South Dakota (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Bennett County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the South Dakota average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Bennett County, South Dakota grew by 52.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $55,416 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Bennett County
| Metric | Bennett County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.649 | 0.504 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $51,282 | $62,990 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,400 | $50,603 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 11.5% | 19.7% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Bennett County, it is 0.649, higher than South Dakota's 0.504, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 13% more than women's income in Bennett County, South Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 13% wage gap accumulates to roughly $205,870 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bennett County, South Dakota has narrowed from about 16% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $255 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Bennett County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 10.0% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.0% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 7 | 15 | 22 |
Approximately 118 people are unemployed in Bennett County, South Dakota.
The average commute time in Bennett County is 7 minutes, shorter than the 15 minutes in South Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Bennett County, South Dakota has fallen from 20.0% to 10.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 7.9% in 2022.
Bennett County, SD Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Bennett County, SD is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 3,345 residents against a local median of 5,498. Where Bennett County, SD breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 38% below the local median of 4.6%/yr at 2.9%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $55,416 against a local median of $41,983, 32% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Bennett County, SD is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 9.0%/yr on income growth, so Bennett County, SD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Bennett County, SD has the 4th highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bennett County, SD | 3,345 | $55,416 #2/6 | 2.9%/yr #4/6 | 10.0% #3/6 | 0.649 #3/6 |
| Jackson County, SD | 2,802 | $35,400 | -1.2%/yr | 7.2% | 0.684 |
| Cherry County, NE | 5,498 | $64,430 | 2.7%/yr | 1.0% | 0.480 |
| Oglala Lakota County, SD | 13,491 | $40,506 | 5.5%/yr | 15.9% | 0.742 |
| Todd County, SD | 9,243 | $41,983 | 4.6%/yr | 18.6% | 0.682 |
| Mellette County, SD | 1,943 | $52,654 | 7.8%/yr | 12.5% | 0.618 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Bennett County, South Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than South Dakota, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Bennett County, South Dakota.
How Rich Is Bennett County, South Dakota?
Bennett County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $55,416, about 26% lower than the South Dakota average of $75,087.
How has median household income changed in Bennett County, South Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Bennett County, South Dakota rose 53%, from $36,288 to $55,416. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Dakota as a whole: +53% against +67%.
What was the median household income in Bennett County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Bennett County, South Dakota was $44,285, down 1% from $44,916 in 2022. The South Dakota median that year was $72,558.
What was the median household income in Bennett County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Bennett County, South Dakota was $42,597. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $55,416.
Is it hard to find a job in Bennett County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Bennett County, South Dakota is 10.0%, well above the South Dakota rate of 2.9%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Bennett County, South Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Bennett County is 0.649. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Bennett County, South Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bennett County, South Dakota has narrowed from about 16% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $255 since 2009.
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