Lawrence County, South Dakota Income Statistics
Lawrence County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Lawrence County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lawrence County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $72,290 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,007 | $53,860 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 10.2% | 10.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.6% | 8.1% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lawrence County is about 4% lower than in South Dakota. Income has been growing faster in Lawrence County (5.4%/yr) than in South Dakota (4.6%/yr).
About 10% of adults in Lawrence County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the South Dakota average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Lawrence County, South Dakota grew by 84.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $72,290 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.4% per year.
Lawrence County has stayed well below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. The gap has narrowed from 24% in 2009 to 10% in 2024, the closest it has been.
Income Distribution in Lawrence County
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 3,844 households (31.9% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 24.3% of households in Lawrence County had an income under $35,000 and 14.3% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Lawrence County has a larger share of households earning $75,000 to $99,999 (16.6% vs 12.6%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (7.6% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 408 | 3.4% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 526 | 4.4% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 886 | 7.4% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,112 | 9.2% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,511 | 12.5% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,763 | 14.6% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 2,004 | 16.6% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 2,115 | 17.5% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 810 | 6.7% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 919 | 7.6% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 12,054 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 2,425 residents (10.2% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 10.7% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 4.4% of Lawrence County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 35.4% had some income but less than $25,000, and 18.1% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Lawrence County has a larger share of residents earning $1 to $9,999 (14.1% vs 11.2%) and a smaller share with no personal income (4.4% vs 12.8%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 1,034 | 4.4% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 3,346 | 14.1% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 2,013 | 8.5% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 3,023 | 12.8% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 2,783 | 11.7% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 3,611 | 15.2% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 3,602 | 15.2% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,868 | 7.9% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 2,425 | 10.2% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 23,705 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 4.4% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lawrence County
| Metric | Lawrence County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.508 | 0.504 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,710 | $62,990 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,662 | $50,603 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 28.3% | 19.7% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Lawrence County, it is 0.508, about the same as South Dakota's 0.504, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 40% more than women's income in Lawrence County, South Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 40% wage gap accumulates to roughly $631,680 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lawrence County, South Dakota has narrowed from about 31% to 28% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 23% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,010 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lawrence County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.7% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.5% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 15 | 22 |
Approximately 261 people are unemployed in Lawrence County, South Dakota.
The average commute time in Lawrence County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 15 minutes in South Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lawrence County, South Dakota has fallen from 4.5% to 1.7% in 2024.
Lawrence County has stayed well below the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024 and has never risen above it. It came closest in 2020, at 2.8 points lower. The gap has narrowed from 4.2 points in 2011 to 3.5 points in 2024.
Lawrence County, SD Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lawrence County, SD is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 27,233 residents against a local median of 8,892. Lawrence County, SD sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 12% below the local median at 5.4%/yr against 6.1%/yr. Lawrence County, SD has the 4th highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence County, SD | 27,233 | $72,290 #6/6 | 5.4%/yr #4/6 | 1.7% #3/6 | 0.508 #5/6 |
| Butte County, SD | 10,676 | $75,510 | 7.2%/yr | 1.8% | 0.508 |
| Custer County, SD | 8,892 | $83,495 | 6.1%/yr | 2.3% | 0.487 |
| Crook County, WY | 7,442 | $77,872 | 3.4%/yr | 1.0% | 0.485 |
| Weston County, WY | 6,826 | $86,206 | 6.2%/yr | 1.0% | 0.506 |
| Pennington County, SD | 113,512 | $74,480 | 4.7%/yr | 3.1% | 0.506 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lawrence County, South Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with South Dakota, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lawrence County, South Dakota.
How Rich Is Lawrence County, South Dakota?
Lawrence County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $72,290, about 4% lower than the South Dakota average of $75,087.
Are incomes growing in Lawrence County, South Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lawrence County, South Dakota rose 85%, from $39,103 to $72,290. Over the same years, income here outpaced South Dakota as a whole: +85% against +67%.
What was the median household income in Lawrence County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lawrence County, South Dakota was $65,828, up 5% from $62,463 in 2022. The South Dakota median that year was $72,558.
What was the median household income in Lawrence County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lawrence County, South Dakota was $53,312. By 2024 it had risen 36% to $72,290.
Is unemployment high in Lawrence County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Lawrence County, South Dakota is only 1.7%, well below the South Dakota rate of 2.9%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lawrence County, South Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Lawrence County is 0.508. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Lawrence County, South Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lawrence County, South Dakota has narrowed from about 31% to 28% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 23% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,010 since 2009.
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