Brown County, South Dakota Income Statistics
Brown 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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B
Brown County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Brown County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $69,714 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,428 | $53,860 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.2% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 10.1% | 10.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.5% | 8.1% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Brown County is about 7% lower than in South Dakota. Income has been growing slower in Brown County (3.2%/yr) than in South Dakota (4.6%/yr).
About 10% of adults in Brown County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the South Dakota average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Brown County, South Dakota grew by 54.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $69,714 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.2% per year.
Brown County has been below the U.S. median household income in most years since 2009, but briefly rose above it in 2015 (0.7% higher). In 2024 its income was 13% lower.
Income Distribution in Brown County
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 5,322 households (32.7% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 25.6% of households in Brown County had an income under $35,000 and 16.8% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Brown County has a larger share of households earning $25,000 to $34,999 (8.5% vs 6.7%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (7.5% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 828 | 5.1% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 661 | 4.1% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,282 | 7.9% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,392 | 8.5% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,818 | 11.2% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 2,744 | 16.8% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 2,238 | 13.7% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 2,582 | 15.9% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 1,523 | 9.4% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 1,217 | 7.5% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 16,285 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 3,067 residents (10.1% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 10.7% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 6.0% of Brown County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 29.7% had some income but less than $25,000, and 18.4% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Brown County has a larger share of residents earning $50,000 to $74,999 (18.2% vs 14.3%) and a smaller share with no personal income (6.0% vs 12.8%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 1,841 | 6.0% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 3,650 | 12.0% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 2,192 | 7.2% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 3,217 | 10.5% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 3,600 | 11.8% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 4,847 | 15.9% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 5,556 | 18.2% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 2,536 | 8.3% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 3,067 | 10.1% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 30,506 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 6.0% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Brown County
| Metric | Brown County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.492 | 0.504 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $62,218 | $62,990 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $50,745 | $50,603 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.4% | 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 Brown County, it is 0.492, lower than South Dakota's 0.504, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 23% more than women's income in Brown County, South Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $401,555 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Brown County, South Dakota has narrowed from about 26% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2015, and was narrowest at 16% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,612 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Brown County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.3% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 11 | 15 | 22 |
Approximately 674 people are unemployed in Brown County, South Dakota.
The average commute time in Brown County is 11 minutes, shorter than the 15 minutes in South Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Brown County, South Dakota has risen from 2.5% to 3.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 3.6% in 2022 and fell as low as 1.8% in 2017.
Brown County has stayed well below the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024 and has never risen above it. It came closest in 2023, at 1.7 points lower. The gap has narrowed from 6.2 points in 2011 to 1.9 points in 2024.
Brown County, SD Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Brown County, SD is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 37,877 residents against a local median of 4,935. Where Brown County, SD breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 146% above the local median of 1.3% at 3.3%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.1% on unemployment, so Brown County, SD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Brown County, SD has the 5th lowest unemployment 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County, SD | 37,877 | $69,714 #5/6 | 3.2%/yr #4/6 | 3.3% #5/6 | 0.492 #1/6 |
| Dickey County, ND | 4,935 | $70,209 | 3.0%/yr | 4.1% | 0.517 |
| Spink County, SD | 6,219 | $71,068 | 4.6%/yr | 1.3% | 0.508 |
| Marshall County, SD | 4,344 | $77,408 | 3.7%/yr | 1.0% | 0.499 |
| Day County, SD | 5,437 | $66,062 | 6.3%/yr | 2.1% | 0.501 |
| Edmunds County, SD | 4,048 | $79,199 | 3.1%/yr | 1.1% | 0.510 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Brown County, South Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than South Dakota, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Brown County, South Dakota.
How Rich Is Brown County, South Dakota?
Brown County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $69,714, about 7% lower than the South Dakota average of $75,087.
Are incomes growing in Brown County, South Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Brown County, South Dakota rose 55%, from $45,061 to $69,714. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Dakota as a whole: +55% against +67%.
What was the median household income in Brown County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Brown County, South Dakota was $69,551, about the same as in 2022. The South Dakota median that year was $72,558.
What was the median household income in Brown County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Brown County, South Dakota was $61,780. By 2024 it had risen 13% to $69,714.
What is the Gini coefficient in Brown County, South Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Brown County is 0.492. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Brown County, South Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Brown County, South Dakota has narrowed from about 26% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2015, and was narrowest at 16% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,612 since 2009.
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