Lyman County, South Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Lyman 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 84% of counties in South Dakota
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 83% of counties in South Dakota
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 74% of counties in South Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Lyman County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,724 | 907,403 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2.2 | 11.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.43% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.9 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,188 | 365,533 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Lyman County declined by 3.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 3,724 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Lyman County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 20.3% of residents. That is 1.7 points below South Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 755 20.3% -1.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 651 17.5% -3.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 695 18.7% +0.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 689 18.5% +1.2 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 47.7% of the people living in Lyman County and men 52.3%.
- Women 47.7% South Dakota 49.6%
- Men 52.3% South Dakota 50.4%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Lyman County
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Economy
Lyman County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Lyman County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,584 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.17% | 4.61% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Lyman County is about 9% lower than in South Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Lyman County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,250,000 | $92,142 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $651 | $946 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.9% | 68.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Lyman County is about 160.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $651 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Lyman County spend about 25 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 103 hours, about 4.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Lyman County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.4 | 15.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 24.8 | 30.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 103 | 128 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,198 | $3,961 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,978 | 2,777 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 340 | 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 Lyman County is 12 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
Lyman County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Lyman County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 28.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.07 | 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
Lyman County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Lyman County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 82.3 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 18.5% | 13.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 28.0% | 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 Lyman County, South Dakota.
What is the population of Lyman County, South Dakota?
About 3,724 people live in Lyman County, South Dakota, in 1,188 households of 3.1 people on average. The median age is 37.9, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Lyman County, South Dakota urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Lyman County, South Dakota has 2 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 3% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Lyman County, South Dakota?
The median home costs 18.2 times the median household income ($1,250,000 against $68,584), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $651 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 Lyman County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Lyman County, South Dakota is only 4.0%, 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 Lyman County, South Dakota have a college degree?
21.2% of adults in Lyman 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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