Fall River County, South Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Fall River 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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B
Health Around averageLess healthy than 79% of counties in South Dakota
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C
Income Below averageLess wealthy than 80% of counties in South Dakota
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Fall River County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,258 | 907,403 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4.2 | 11.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.69% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 55.2 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 3,632 | 365,533 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Fall River County grew by 0.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 7,258 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Fall River County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 29.2% of residents. That is 12.0 points above South Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,021 14.1% -7.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,006 13.9% -6.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,752 24.1% +5.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,121 29.2% +12.0 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 48.8% of the people living in Fall River County and men 51.2%.
- Women 48.8% South Dakota 49.6%
- Men 51.2% South Dakota 50.4%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Fall River County
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Economy
Fall River County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Fall River County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,318 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.71% | 4.61% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Fall River County is about 6% lower than in South Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Fall River County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $169,317 | $92,142 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $931 | $946 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.4% | 68.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Fall River County is about 15.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $931 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Fall River County spend about 21 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 86 hours, about 3.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Fall River County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 10.3 | 15.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 20.6 | 30.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 86 | 128 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $2,658 | $3,961 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 775 | 2,777 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 136 | 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 Fall River County is 10 minutes, shorter 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
Fall River County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Fall River County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 28.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 1.92 | 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
Fall River County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Fall River County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.8 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.4% | 13.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.9% | 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).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Fall River County, South Dakota.
How big is Fall River County, South Dakota by population?
About 7,258 people live in Fall River County, South Dakota, in 3,632 households of 1.9 people on average. The median age is 55.2, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 18 years.
How densely populated is Fall River County, South Dakota?
Averaged over its land area, Fall River County, South Dakota has 4 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 5% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Fall River County, South Dakota?
The median home costs 2.4 times the median household income ($169,317 against $70,318), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $931 a month takes about 16% 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 Fall River County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Fall River County, South Dakota is only 2.5%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Fall River County, South Dakota have a college degree?
18.6% of adults in Fall River County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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