United States › South Dakota › Aurora CITY
Aurora South Dakota · 1,286 residents (2025 est.) · 0.84 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Aurora is a city of 1,444 people in South Dakota. Since 2000 the city has roughly tripled, up 944 people. The median age is 29.0, younger than the US median of 38.9. That puts it in the top 9% of US cities for household income. The poverty rate is 2.7%, under the national 12.5%. That is roughly 28% ahead of the South Dakota median.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 29.0
US median: 38.9
More educated
43% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 87%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 500 in 2000
1,286 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,725 / sq mi
+202%since 2009
from 571 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
381 671 961 1K 2K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Aurora Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $95,952
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,456 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,819 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 2.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.297 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 5.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.2%
Transportation & warehousing 2.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
Education & health services 0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$234,600
+87%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $68,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$840
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $366 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.7% in 2000
25.0% rent
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.36 people
+12%since 2009
from 2.10 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98%(490)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 87.3%(1,260)
from 6 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data from 19.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 94.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 87.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 1.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 83.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 95.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 7.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 99.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 82.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 4.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 11.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 9.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 82.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 52.5%(42)
Share of the 80 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Aurora Head to head
Compare Aurora to nearby cities AURORA VS
Brookings
Income $63,493 −34%
Home value $265,500 +13%
Population 25,355 +1872%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AURORA VS
Marshall
Income $68,566 −29%
Home value $210,300 −10%
Population 14,171 +1002%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AURORA VS
Brandon
Income $110,806 +15%
Home value $336,600 +43%
Population 11,306 +779%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
AURORA VS
Watertown
Income $69,600 −27%
Home value $229,400 −2%
Population 23,736 +1746%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Aurora, South Dakota? Aurora, South Dakota has about 1,444 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Aurora, South Dakota? The typical household in Aurora, South Dakota earns about $95,952 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Aurora, South Dakota expensive? In Aurora, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $234,600, and the typical rent is about $840 a month.
How educated are people in Aurora, South Dakota? About 42.8% of adults age 25 and over in Aurora, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Aurora, South Dakota? About 2.7% of people in Aurora, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Aurora, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Aurora, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 821 residents, a change of about 132 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 