Jones County, South Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Jones 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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N/A
Health Not enough data
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Jones County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,004 | 907,403 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1.0 | 11.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 3.55% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 32.9 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 342 | 365,533 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Jones County declined by 2.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 1,004 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Jones County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 24.7% of residents. That is 6.2 points above South Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 166 16.6% -5.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 145 14.4% -6.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 248 24.7% +6.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 203 20.2% +3.0 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 53.6% of the people living in Jones County and men 46.4%.
- Women 53.6% South Dakota 49.6%
- Men 46.4% South Dakota 50.4%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Jones County
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Economy
Jones County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Jones County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,091 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.64% | 4.61% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Jones County is about 15% lower than in South Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Jones County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | — | $92,142 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $542 | $946 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.3% | 68.6% | 65.2% |
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Jones County spend about 13 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 56 hours, about 2.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Jones County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 6.7 | 15.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 13.4 | 30.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 56 | 128 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $1,725 | $3,961 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.7% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,726 | 2,777 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 137 | 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 Jones County is 7 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
Jones County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Jones County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.9% | 28.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.94 | 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
| Metric | Jones County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | — | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 11.2% | 13.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.6% | 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).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Jones County, South Dakota.
How big is Jones County, South Dakota by population?
About 1,004 people live in Jones County, South Dakota, in 342 households of 2.9 people on average. The median age is 32.9, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
How densely populated is Jones County, South Dakota?
Averaged over its land area, Jones County, South Dakota has 1 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 1% of the U.S. average of 86.
How strong is the job market in Jones County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Jones County, South Dakota is only 2.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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