Buffalo County, South Dakota Income Statistics
Buffalo 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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F
Buffalo County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in South Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Buffalo County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $47,368 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,128 | $53,860 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.1% | 10.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.7% | 8.1% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Buffalo County is about 37% lower than in South Dakota. Income has been growing faster in Buffalo County (5.4%/yr) than in South Dakota (4.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Buffalo 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 Buffalo County, South Dakota grew by 85.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $47,368 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Buffalo County
| Metric | Buffalo County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.660 | 0.504 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $44,763 | $62,990 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $53,076 | $50,603 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | -18.6% | 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 Buffalo County, it is 0.660, 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.
Women's income is about 19% more than men's income in Buffalo County, South Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 19% wage gap accumulates to roughly $290,955 in unearned income for male workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Buffalo County, South Dakota has narrowed from about 39% to -19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 47% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $22,380 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Buffalo County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 10.8% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 12.3% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 8 | 15 | 22 |
Approximately 70 people are unemployed in Buffalo County, South Dakota.
The average commute time in Buffalo County is 8 minutes, shorter than the 15 minutes in South Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Buffalo County, South Dakota has fallen from 20.0% to 10.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 9.7% in 2023.
Buffalo County, SD Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Buffalo County, SD is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 1,808 residents against a local median of 3,140. Where Buffalo County, SD breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting more than 6 times the local median of 1.7% at 10.8%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income inequality tells the same story from another angle: 0.660 against a local median of 0.485, 36% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Buffalo County, SD reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves sit within 3.0% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Buffalo County, SD, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Buffalo County, SD has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County, SD | 1,808 | $47,368 #6/6 | 5.4%/yr #1/6 | 10.8% #6/6 | 0.660 #6/6 |
| Brule County, SD | 5,283 | $73,237 | 4.8%/yr | 1.5% | 0.528 |
| Hand County, SD | 3,140 | $74,534 | 4.5%/yr | 1.0% | 0.465 |
| Hyde County, SD | 1,191 | $72,154 | 3.3%/yr | 3.7% | 0.485 |
| Jerauld County, SD | 1,772 | $74,889 | 5.1%/yr | 1.7% | 0.460 |
| Lyman County, SD | 3,724 | $68,584 | 5.2%/yr | 4.0% | 0.563 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Buffalo County, South Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it worse than South Dakota, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Buffalo County, South Dakota.
How Rich Is Buffalo County, South Dakota?
Buffalo County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $47,368, about 37% lower than the South Dakota average of $75,087.
How has median household income changed in Buffalo County, South Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Buffalo County, South Dakota rose 86%, from $25,488 to $47,368. Over the same years, income here outpaced South Dakota as a whole: +86% against +67%.
What was the median household income in Buffalo County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Buffalo County, South Dakota was $48,333, up 17% from $41,428 in 2022. The South Dakota median that year was $72,558.
What was the median household income in Buffalo County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Buffalo County, South Dakota was $35,000. By 2024 it had risen 35% to $47,368.
Is unemployment high in Buffalo County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Buffalo County, South Dakota is 10.8%, well above the South Dakota rate of 2.9%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Buffalo County, South Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Buffalo County is 0.660. 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 Buffalo County, South Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Buffalo County, South Dakota has narrowed from about 39% to -19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 47% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $22,380 since 2009.
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