South Dakota Income Statistics
South Dakota Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a state's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
South Dakota Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Wealthiest and Least Wealthy Counties in South Dakota
- Stanley County (124% of U.S. avg)
- Lincoln County (122% of U.S. avg)
- Union County (116% of U.S. avg)
- Oglala Lakota County (53% of U.S. avg)
- Todd County (55% of U.S. avg)
- Buffalo County (60% of U.S. avg)
Ranked by the Map AI Wealth Index, which combines income, employment, and income inequality metrics.
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | South Dakota | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $75,087 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $53,860 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 10.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.1% | 13.2% |
The median household income in South Dakota is about 7% lower than in US. Income has been growing slower in South Dakota (4.6%/yr) than in US (4.8%/yr).
About 10% of adults in South Dakota earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the US average of 14%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in South Dakota grew by 67.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $75,087 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in South Dakota
| Metric | South Dakota | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.504 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $62,990 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $50,603 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 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 South Dakota, it is 0.504, lower than US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 24% more than women's income in South Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 24% wage gap accumulates to roughly $433,545 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in South Dakota has narrowed from about 24% to 20% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,012 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | South Dakota | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 22 |
Approximately 13,933 people are unemployed in South Dakota.
The average commute time in South Dakota is 15 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in US.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in South Dakota has fallen from 4.8% to 2.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 5.0% in 2013.
South Dakota Wealth Compared With Nearby States
South Dakota is the 5th largest of the 6 states compared here, 907,403 residents against a local median of 2,945,842. South Dakota's unemployment, at 2.9%, runs 19% below the 3.6% typical of the states around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The states themselves spread 1.3% on unemployment, so South Dakota sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. South Dakota has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | 907,403 | $75,087 #5/6 | 4.6%/yr #1/6 | 2.9% #2/6 | 0.504 #1/6 |
| Nebraska | 1,978,686 | $76,615 | 4.3%/yr | 3.0% | 0.515 |
| North Dakota | 784,730 | $76,862 | 3.3%/yr | 2.7% | 0.506 |
| Kansas | 2,945,842 | $74,287 | 4.1%/yr | 3.8% | 0.525 |
| Minnesota | 5,724,000 | $89,852 | 4.4%/yr | 4.1% | 0.507 |
| Iowa | 3,204,793 | $75,133 | 4.0%/yr | 3.6% | 0.510 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, South Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in South Dakota.
How Rich Is South Dakota?
South Dakota 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 $75,087, about 7% lower than the US average of $80,455.
Are incomes growing in South Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in South Dakota rose 67%, from $44,841 to $75,087. Over the same years, income here outpaced the U.S. as a whole: +67% against +57%.
What was the median household income in South Dakota in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in South Dakota was $72,558, up 4% from $69,672 in 2022. The US median that year was $78,147.
What was the median household income in South Dakota in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in South Dakota was $59,902. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $75,087.
Is it hard to find a job in South Dakota?
Unemployment in South Dakota is only 2.9%, well below the US rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in South Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in South Dakota is 0.504. 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 South Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in South Dakota has narrowed from about 24% to 20% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,012 since 2009.
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