Corson County, South Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Corson 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.
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D
Health Well below averageAmong the 5 least healthy counties in South Dakota
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F
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 92% of counties in South Dakota
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F
Education Well below averageLess educated than 88% of counties in South Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Corson County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,806 | 907,403 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1.5 | 11.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.13% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 28.8 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,128 | 365,533 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Corson County declined by 8.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 3,806 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Corson County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 24.9% of residents. That is 3.0 points above South Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 949 24.9% +3.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 664 17.5% -3.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 653 17.1% -1.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 513 13.5% -3.8 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 50.7% of the people living in Corson County and men 49.3%.
- Women 50.7% South Dakota 49.6%
- Men 49.3% South Dakota 50.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Corson County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Corson County has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Corson County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,956 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.25% | 4.61% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 20.0% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Corson County is about 37% lower than in South Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Corson County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $29,166 | $92,142 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $495 | $946 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 59.1% | 68.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Corson County is about 4.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $495 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Corson County spend about 37 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 156 hours, about 6.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Corson County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.7 | 15.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 37.4 | 30.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 156 | 128 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,835 | $3,961 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 24.2% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 418 | 2,777 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 61 | 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 Corson County is 19 minutes, longer 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
Corson County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Corson County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 28.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.38 | 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
Corson County has a health index of D, which means it is barely healthy.
| Metric | Corson County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.5 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 24.5% | 13.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 32.6% | 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).
Corson County, SD Compared With Nearby Counties
How Corson County, SD compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corson County, SD | 3,806 | $46,956 #2/2 | $29,166 #1/2 | 18.7 min #2/2 |
| Morton County, ND | 33,777 | $79,602 | $22,250 | 17.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Corson County, South Dakota.
How big is Corson County, South Dakota by population?
About 3,806 people live in Corson County, South Dakota, in 1,128 households of 3.4 people on average. The median age is 28.8, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 8 years.
How densely populated is Corson County, South Dakota?
Averaged over its land area, Corson County, South Dakota has 2 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 2% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Corson County, South Dakota?
The median home costs 0.6 times the median household income ($29,166 against $46,956), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $495 a month takes about 13% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Corson County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Corson County, South Dakota is 20.0%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Corson County, South Dakota have a college degree?
15.1% of adults in Corson County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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