Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Oglala Lakota 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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F
Income Well below averageLeast wealthy county in South Dakota
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F
Education Well below averageAmong the 3 least educated counties in South Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Oglala Lakota County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,491 | 907,403 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 6.4 | 11.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.69% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 28.5 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,923 | 365,533 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Oglala Lakota County declined by 0.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 13,491 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Oglala Lakota County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 28.7% of residents. That is 6.7 points above South Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 3,872 28.7% +6.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,692 20.0% -0.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,019 15.0% -3.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,159 8.6% -8.7 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 51.5% of the people living in Oglala Lakota County and men 48.5%.
- Women 51.5% South Dakota 49.6%
- Men 48.5% South Dakota 50.4%
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Economy
Oglala Lakota County has a the economy index of F, which means it scores poorly in the economy.
| Metric | Oglala Lakota County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $40,506 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.50% | 4.61% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 15.9% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Oglala Lakota County is about 46% lower than in South Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Oglala Lakota County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $51,250 | $92,142 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $583 | $946 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 51.5% | 68.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Oglala Lakota County is about 7.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $583 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Oglala Lakota County spend about 23 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 95 hours, about 4.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Oglala Lakota County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 11.4 | 15.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 22.9 | 30.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 95 | 128 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $2,956 | $3,961 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | — | 2,777 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 150 | 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 Oglala Lakota County is 11 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
Oglala Lakota County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Oglala Lakota County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.4% | 28.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 4.46 | 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 | Oglala Lakota County | South Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | — | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 26.9% | 13.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 39.2% | 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).
Oglala Lakota County, SD Compared With Nearby Counties
How Oglala Lakota County, SD compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oglala Lakota County, SD | 13,491 | $40,506 #2/2 | $51,250 #2/2 | 11.4 min #1/2 |
| Pennington County, SD | 113,512 | $74,480 | $239,422 | 16.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota.
How many people live in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota?
About 13,491 people live in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota, in 2,923 households of 4.5 people on average. The median age is 28.5, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 9 years.
How densely populated is Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota?
Averaged over its land area, Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota has 6 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 7% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota?
The median home costs 1.3 times the median household income ($51,250 against $40,506), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $583 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota is 15.9%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota have a college degree?
8.4% of adults in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 12), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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