Butte County, South Dakota Income Statistics
Butte 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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C
Butte County Below averageLess wealthy than 74% of counties in South Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Butte County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $75,510 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,963 | $53,860 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.2% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.5% | 10.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.9% | 8.1% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Butte County is about 1% higher than in South Dakota. Income has been growing faster in Butte County (7.2%/yr) than in South Dakota (4.6%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Butte 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 Butte County, South Dakota grew by 108.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $75,510 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Butte County
| Metric | Butte County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.508 | 0.504 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $70,847 | $62,990 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,114 | $50,603 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 37.7% | 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 Butte County, it is 0.508, about the same as South Dakota's 0.504, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 61% more than women's income in Butte County, South Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 61% wage gap accumulates to roughly $935,655 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Butte County, South Dakota has widened from about 36% to 38% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 39% in 2014, and was narrowest at 25% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,757 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Butte County widened by 1.6 points while South Dakota's narrowed by 4.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Butte County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.8% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.8% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 15 | 22 |
Approximately 104 people are unemployed in Butte County, South Dakota.
The average commute time in Butte County is 18 minutes, longer than the 15 minutes in South Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Butte County, South Dakota has fallen from 4.7% to 1.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.3% in 2021.
Butte County, SD Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Butte County, SD is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 10,676 residents against a local median of 27,233. Butte County, SD's income growth, at 7.2%/yr, runs 51% above the 4.7%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.3%/yr on income growth, so Butte County, SD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Butte County, SD has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butte County, SD | 10,676 | $75,510 #3/6 | 7.2%/yr #1/6 | 1.8% #4/6 | 0.508 #6/6 |
| Lawrence County, SD | 27,233 | $72,290 | 5.4%/yr | 1.7% | 0.508 |
| Harding County, SD | 1,148 | $80,729 | 5.8%/yr | 1.0% | 0.496 |
| Meade County, SD | 30,546 | $74,726 | 4.4%/yr | 2.9% | 0.490 |
| Crook County, WY | 7,442 | $77,872 | 3.4%/yr | 1.0% | 0.485 |
| Pennington County, SD | 113,512 | $74,480 | 4.7%/yr | 3.1% | 0.506 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Butte County, South Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with South Dakota, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Butte County, South Dakota.
How Rich Is Butte County, South Dakota?
Butte County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $75,510, about 1% higher than the South Dakota average of $75,087.
How has median household income changed in Butte County, South Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Butte County, South Dakota rose 108%, from $36,280 to $75,510. Over the same years, income here outpaced South Dakota as a whole: +108% against +67%.
What was the median household income in Butte County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Butte County, South Dakota was $67,135, up 13% from $59,336 in 2022. The South Dakota median that year was $72,558.
What was the median household income in Butte County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Butte County, South Dakota was $49,038. By 2024 it had risen 54% to $75,510.
How strong is the job market in Butte County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Butte County, South Dakota is only 1.8%, well below the South Dakota rate of 2.9%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Butte County, South Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Butte County is 0.508. 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 Butte County, South Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Butte County, South Dakota has widened from about 36% to 38% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 39% in 2014, and was narrowest at 25% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,757 since 2009.
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