Sully County, South Dakota Income Statistics
Sully 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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B
Sully County Around averageAmong the top 5 wealthiest counties in South Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Sully County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $72,742 | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,204 | $53,860 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.6% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.4% | 10.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.7% | 8.1% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Sully County is about 3% lower than in South Dakota. Income has been growing slower in Sully County (2.6%/yr) than in South Dakota (4.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Sully 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 Sully County, South Dakota grew by 51.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $72,742 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Sully County
| Metric | Sully County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.442 | 0.504 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,348 | $62,990 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,562 | $50,603 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.8% | 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 Sully County, it is 0.442, 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 23% more than women's income in Sully County, South Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $377,510 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sully County, South Dakota has widened from about 14% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 31% in 2014, and was narrowest at 2% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,094 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Sully County widened by 5.3 points while South Dakota's narrowed by 4.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Sully County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.0% | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 13.4% | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 11 | 15 | 22 |
The average commute time in Sully County is 11 minutes, shorter than the 15 minutes in South Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Sully County, South Dakota has fallen from 1.9% to 1.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 2.7% in 2012 and fell as low as 1.0% in 2016.
Sully County, SD Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Sully County, SD is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 1,526 residents against a local median of 3,015. Where Sully County, SD breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 62% below the local median of 2.6% at 1.0%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.6%/yr against a local median of 4.0%/yr, 35% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Sully County, SD is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.7% on unemployment, so Sully County, SD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Sully County, SD has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sully County, SD | 1,526 | $72,742 #4/6 | 2.6%/yr #6/6 | 1.0% #1/6 | 0.442 #1/6 |
| Hughes County, SD | 17,664 | $82,070 | 4.3%/yr | 1.0% | 0.481 |
| Potter County, SD | 2,388 | $73,124 | 5.6%/yr | 2.6% | 0.511 |
| Hyde County, SD | 1,191 | $72,154 | 3.3%/yr | 3.7% | 0.485 |
| Stanley County, SD | 3,015 | $80,929 | 4.0%/yr | 1.0% | 0.444 |
| Walworth County, SD | 5,271 | $63,610 | 4.0%/yr | 3.5% | 0.489 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sully 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 Sully County, South Dakota.
How Rich Is Sully County, South Dakota?
Sully 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 $72,742, about 3% lower than the South Dakota average of $75,087.
Are incomes growing in Sully County, South Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Sully County, South Dakota rose 52%, from $47,965 to $72,742. Over the same years, income here lagged behind South Dakota as a whole: +52% against +67%.
What was the median household income in Sully County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Sully County, South Dakota was $69,896, up 4% from $66,903 in 2022. The South Dakota median that year was $72,558.
What was the median household income in Sully County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Sully County, South Dakota was $61,037. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $72,742.
Is unemployment high in Sully County, South Dakota?
Unemployment in Sully County, South Dakota is only 1.0%, 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 Sully County, South Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Sully County is 0.442. 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 Sully County, South Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sully County, South Dakota has widened from about 14% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 31% in 2014, and was narrowest at 2% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,094 since 2009.
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