Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota Income Statistics
Oglala Lakota 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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F
Oglala Lakota County Well below averageLeast wealthy county in South Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Oglala Lakota County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $40,506 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $37,459 | $53,860 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.5% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.2% | 10.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.2% | 8.1% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Oglala Lakota County is about 46% lower than in South Dakota. Income has been growing faster in Oglala Lakota County (5.5%/yr) than in South Dakota (4.6%/yr).
About 2% of adults in Oglala Lakota 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 Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota grew by 39.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $40,506 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Oglala Lakota County
| Metric | Oglala Lakota County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.742 | 0.504 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $34,395 | $62,990 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,499 | $50,603 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | -23.6% | 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 Oglala Lakota County, it is 0.742, higher than South Dakota's 0.504, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Women's income is about 24% more than men's income in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 24% wage gap accumulates to roughly $283,640 in unearned income for male workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota has widened from about -11% to -24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 13% in 2012, and in 2022 women out-earned men by 24%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,093 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Oglala Lakota County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 15.9% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.8% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 11 | 15 | 22 |
Approximately 508 people are unemployed in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota.
The average commute time in Oglala Lakota County is 11 minutes, shorter than the 15 minutes in South Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota has fallen from 20.0% to 15.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 11.7% in 2022.
Oglala Lakota County, SD Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Oglala Lakota County, SD is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 13,491 residents against a local median of 8,140. Oglala Lakota County, SD's unemployment, at 15.9%, runs more than 7 times the 2.3% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income inequality tells the same story from another angle: 0.742 against a local median of 0.532, 39% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Oglala Lakota County, SD is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 8.4% on unemployment, so Oglala Lakota County, SD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Oglala Lakota County, SD has the 6th lowest unemployment 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oglala Lakota County, SD | 13,491 | $40,506 #6/6 | 5.5%/yr #2/6 | 15.9% #6/6 | 0.742 #6/6 |
| Pennington County, SD | 113,512 | $74,480 | 4.7%/yr | 3.1% | 0.506 |
| Sheridan County, NE | 5,014 | $60,220 | 4.3%/yr | 2.0% | 0.539 |
| Dawes County, NE | 8,140 | $55,690 | 3.5%/yr | 1.6% | 0.532 |
| Bennett County, SD | 3,345 | $55,416 | 2.9%/yr | 10.0% | 0.649 |
| Custer County, SD | 8,892 | $83,495 | 6.1%/yr | 2.3% | 0.487 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it worse than South Dakota, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota.
How Wealthy Is Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota?
Oglala Lakota County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $40,506, about 46% lower than the South Dakota average of $75,087.
How fast is household income rising in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota rose 39%, from $29,148 to $40,506. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Dakota as a whole: +39% against +67%.
What was the median household income in Oglala Lakota County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota was $34,751, up 6% from $32,893 in 2022. The South Dakota median that year was $72,558.
What was the median household income in Oglala Lakota County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota was $31,753. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $40,506.
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 South Dakota rate of 2.9%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Oglala Lakota County is 0.742. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota has widened from about -11% to -24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 13% in 2012, and in 2022 women out-earned men by 24%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,093 since 2009.
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