Gregory County, South Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Gregory 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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C
Health Below averageLess healthy than 82% of counties in South Dakota
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C
Income Below averageLess wealthy than 77% of counties in South Dakota
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Gregory County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,016 | 907,403 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3.8 | 11.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.60% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.6 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,609 | 365,533 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Gregory County declined by 1.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 4,016 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Gregory County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 23.5% of residents. That is 6.2 points above South Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 673 16.8% -5.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 639 15.9% -4.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 809 20.2% +1.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 943 23.5% +6.2 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 48.5% of the people living in Gregory County and men 51.5%.
- Women 48.5% South Dakota 49.6%
- Men 51.5% South Dakota 50.4%
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100% of everyone living in Gregory County
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Economy
Gregory County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Gregory County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,311 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.83% | 4.61% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Gregory County is about 17% lower than in South Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Gregory County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $49,166 | $92,142 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $614 | $946 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.7% | 68.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Gregory County is about 6.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $614 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Gregory County spend about 23 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 96 hours, about 4.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Gregory County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 11.5 | 15.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 22.9 | 30.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 96 | 128 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $2,964 | $3,961 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | — | 2,777 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 233 | 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 Gregory County is 11 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
Gregory County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Gregory County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.6% | 28.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.45 | 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
Gregory County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Gregory County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.6 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.0% | 13.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.1% | 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 Gregory County, South Dakota.
How big is Gregory County, South Dakota by population?
About 4,016 people live in Gregory County, South Dakota, in 1,609 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 43.6, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Gregory County, South Dakota mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Gregory County, South Dakota has 4 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 4% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Gregory County, South Dakota?
The median home costs 0.8 times the median household income ($49,166 against $62,311), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $614 a month takes about 12% 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 Gregory County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Gregory County, South Dakota is only 2.3%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Gregory County, South Dakota?
17.6% of adults in Gregory County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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