Meade County, South Dakota Income Statistics
Meade 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.
-
B
Meade County Around averageWealthier than 75% of counties in South Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Meade County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $74,726 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,631 | $53,860 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.1% | 10.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.3% | 8.1% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Meade County is about the same as in South Dakota. Income has been growing slower in Meade County (4.4%/yr) than in South Dakota (4.6%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Meade County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the South Dakota average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Meade County, South Dakota grew by 76.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $74,726 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.4% per year.
Meade County has stayed below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2014, at 1.0% lower. The gap has narrowed from 17% in 2009 to 7.1% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Meade 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 4,160 households (34.8% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 15.8% of households in Meade County had an income under $35,000 and 16.7% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Meade County has a larger share of households earning $50,000 to $74,999 (22.2% vs 15.5%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (7.3% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 401 | 3.4% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 140 | 1.2% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 613 | 5.1% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 741 | 6.2% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,454 | 12.1% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 2,656 | 22.2% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,803 | 15.1% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 2,157 | 18.0% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 1,129 | 9.4% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 874 | 7.3% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 11,968 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 2,301 residents (9.1% 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 9.9% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 8.2% of Meade County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 27.8% had some income but less than $25,000, and 16.2% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Meade County has a larger share of residents earning $35,000 to $49,999 (17.5% vs 12.6%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (9.1% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 2,076 | 8.2% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 2,611 | 10.3% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 1,582 | 6.2% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 2,845 | 11.2% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 3,205 | 12.7% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 4,422 | 17.5% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 4,473 | 17.7% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,813 | 7.2% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 2,301 | 9.1% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 25,328 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 8.2% 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 Meade County
| Metric | Meade County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.490 | 0.504 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,093 | $62,990 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,718 | $50,603 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.2% | 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 Meade County, it is 0.490, lower than South Dakota's 0.504, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Meade County, South Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $363,125 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Meade County, South Dakota has narrowed from about 21% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2015, and was narrowest at 13% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,187 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Meade County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.9% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.1% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 15 | 22 |
Approximately 499 people are unemployed in Meade County, South Dakota.
The average commute time in Meade County is 18 minutes, longer than the 15 minutes in South Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Meade County, South Dakota has fallen from 3.6% to 2.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 3.6% in 2012 and fell as low as 1.3% in 2017.
Meade 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 2023, at 2.0 points lower. The gap has narrowed from 5.1 points in 2011 to 2.3 points in 2024.
Meade County, SD Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Meade County, SD is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 30,546 residents against a local median of 10,676. Meade 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, 14% below the local median at 4.4%/yr against 5.1%/yr. Meade County, SD has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meade County, SD | 30,546 | $74,726 #2/6 | 4.4%/yr #6/6 | 2.9% #3/6 | 0.490 #1/6 |
| Pennington County, SD | 113,512 | $74,480 | 4.7%/yr | 3.1% | 0.506 |
| Butte County, SD | 10,676 | $75,510 | 7.2%/yr | 1.8% | 0.508 |
| Perkins County, SD | 3,001 | $67,665 | 5.1%/yr | 4.8% | 0.501 |
| Lawrence County, SD | 27,233 | $72,290 | 5.4%/yr | 1.7% | 0.508 |
| Ziebach County, SD | 2,377 | $52,273 | 4.6%/yr | 20.0% | 0.635 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Meade County, South Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than South Dakota, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Meade County, South Dakota.
How Rich Is Meade County, South Dakota?
Meade County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $74,726, close to the South Dakota average of $75,087.
How fast is household income rising in Meade County, South Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Meade County, South Dakota rose 77%, from $42,320 to $74,726. Over the same years, income here outpaced South Dakota as a whole: +77% against +67%.
What was the median household income in Meade County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Meade County, South Dakota was $74,589, up 3% from $72,077 in 2022. The South Dakota median that year was $72,558.
What was the median household income in Meade County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Meade County, South Dakota was $62,409. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $74,726.
What is the Gini coefficient in Meade County, South Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Meade County is 0.490. 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 Meade County, South Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Meade County, South Dakota has narrowed from about 21% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2015, and was narrowest at 13% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,187 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →