Hamlin County, South Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Hamlin 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 averageHealthier than 75% of counties in South Dakota
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B
Income Around averageWealthier than 82% of counties in South Dakota
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Hamlin County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,373 | 907,403 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 11.8 | 11.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.77% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 33.0 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,194 | 365,533 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Hamlin County grew by 13.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 6,373 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Hamlin County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.9% of residents. That is about the same share as South Dakota.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,395 21.9% on par
- Millennials 29–44 1,104 17.3% -3.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,131 17.7% -0.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 964 15.1% -2.1 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 48.6% of the people living in Hamlin County and men 51.4%.
- Women 48.6% South Dakota 49.6%
- Men 51.4% South Dakota 50.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Hamlin County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Hamlin County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Hamlin County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $86,859 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.70% | 4.61% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.0% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Hamlin County is about 16% higher than in South Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Hamlin County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $85,000 | $92,142 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $800 | $946 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.0% | 68.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Hamlin County is about 8.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $800 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Hamlin 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 153 hours, about 6.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Hamlin County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.4 | 15.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 36.7 | 30.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 153 | 128 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,744 | $3,961 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,320 | 2,777 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 505 | 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 Hamlin County is 18 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
Hamlin County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Hamlin County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 28.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.83 | 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
Hamlin County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Hamlin County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.7 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 11.0% | 13.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.1% | 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).
Hamlin County, SD Compared With Nearby Counties
How Hamlin County, SD compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamlin County, SD | 6,373 | $86,859 #1/3 | $85,000 #3/3 | 18.4 min #3/3 |
| Codington County, SD | 28,767 | $72,712 | $153,409 | 11.8 min |
| Brookings County, SD | 35,353 | $70,805 | $118,181 | 11.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Hamlin County, South Dakota.
What is the population of Hamlin County, South Dakota?
About 6,373 people live in Hamlin County, South Dakota, in 2,194 households of 2.8 people on average. The median age is 33.0, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Hamlin County, South Dakota urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Hamlin County, South Dakota has 12 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 14% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Hamlin County, South Dakota an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.0 times the median household income ($85,000 against $86,859), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $800 a month takes about 11% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Hamlin County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Hamlin County, South Dakota is only 1.0%, 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 Hamlin County, South Dakota?
19.4% of adults in Hamlin 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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