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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Box Elder

South Dakota · 2,680 residents · 14.8 sq mi
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The short version

Box Elder is a city of 2,680 people in South Dakota. This skews young, with a median age of 24.0. 51% of homes are owner-occupied. About 10% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $44,700. Getting to work takes 12 minutes on average.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 24.0
US median: 33.0
Less educated
10% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
2,680
−6%vs 2000
vs 2,841 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
24.0
−9%vs 2000
vs 26.3 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
14.8 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K5K8K11K14K19902000201020202024Box Elder
202413K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 513.7%(368)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 910.3%(275)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.2%(166)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 198.1%(218)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2414.7%(393)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3421.9%(587)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4411.9%(318)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 547.3%(195)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 645.1%(137)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 740.9%(23)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 840%(0)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0%(0)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$20,625
−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $32,344 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$7,797
−39%vs 2000
vs $12,692 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
18.8%
+2.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 15.9% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$44,700
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $53,300 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$355
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $504 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
51.2%
−11.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 62.4% in 2000
48.8% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic81.9%(2,327)
Black2.2%(62)
Hispanic / Latino3.6%(101)
Asian1.9%(55)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic84.4%(2,263)
Black5.8%(155)
Hispanic / Latino3.1%(84)
Asian3.7%(100)
Other6%(162)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican5%(644)
Puerto Rican2.2%(287)
Spaniard0.3%(40)
Dominican0.1%(18)
Salvadoran0.1%(7)
Asian origin
Filipino0.4%(48)
Chinese0.3%(36)
Japanese0.3%(34)
Korean0.2%(23)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(12)
Chamorro0.1%(9)
Ancestry
German22.1%(2,846)
Irish12.6%(1,632)
English11.3%(1,455)
American5.6%(721)
Norwegian4.1%(535)
Dutch2.9%(368)
Polish2.8%(363)
French2%(259)
Italian1.9%(251)
Scottish1.4%(182)
Swedish1%(125)
Russian0.9%(114)
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.8%(103)
Czech0.7%(89)
Danish0.7%(85)
Welsh0.5%(70)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(54)
Canadian0.4%(50)
Ukrainian0.3%(33)
Turkish0.2%(32)
Austrian0.2%(28)
West Indian0.1%(13)
Slovene0.1%(9)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
9.8%
+1.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 8.1% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
87.1%
+1.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 86.1% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
4.4%
+2.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 1.8% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
12.0 min
+19%vs 2000
vs 10.0 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married30.9%(1,579)
Married55.5%(2,838)
Widowed1.2%(59)
Divorced12.5%(641)
Women 15+
Never married25.2%(1,155)
Married59%(2,705)
Widowed2.6%(119)
Divorced13.1%(602)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
10.0%
−5.8 ptssince 2013
from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
42.2%
−2.7 ptssince 2020
from 44.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
7.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 8.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
10.7%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 10.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
14.2%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 12.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
8.3%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 6.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
74.8%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 76.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
28.1%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 25.9% 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)54.8%(922)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)30.6%(515)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era13.6%(228)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.1%(19)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,682 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

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BOX ELDER VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Box Elder, South Dakota?

Box Elder, South Dakota has about 2,680 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Box Elder, South Dakota?

The typical household in Box Elder, South Dakota earns about $20,625 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Box Elder, South Dakota expensive?

In Box Elder, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $44,700, and the typical rent is about $355 a month.

How educated are people in Box Elder, South Dakota?

About 9.8% of adults age 25 and over in Box Elder, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Box Elder, South Dakota?

About 18.8% of people in Box Elder, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →