CensusEasy
CITY · 2010 ACS

Box Elder

South Dakota · 7,800 residents · 14.8 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

Box Elder is a city of 7,800 people in South Dakota. This skews young, with a median age of 23.5. The population has more than doubled since 2000, adding 4,959 people. 49% of homes are owner-occupied. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 15% of adults. Getting to work takes 13 minutes on average.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 23.5
US median: 37.2
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 72%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

7,800
+175%since 2000
from 2,841 in 2000
1990 – 2025
23.5
−11%since 2000
from 26.3 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
14.8 sq mi
Population, 19902024
2K5K8K11K14K19902000201020202024Box Elder
202413K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 512.3%(957)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 99.2%(716)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 148.1%(628)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 198.5%(661)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2415.9%(1,242)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3419.3%(1,507)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4411%(855)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 548.3%(649)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 644.6%(357)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 742.2%(168)
US avg: 7%
75 to 840.6%(47)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over0.2%(13)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$36,530
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,344 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$16,460
+30%since 2000
from $12,692 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
14.9%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 17.6% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
9.9%
−6.0 ptssince 2000
from 15.9% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.328
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Information14.4%
US avg: 11.5%
Retail trade6%
US avg: 10.9%
Finance & insurance5.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical4.1%
US avg: 4.2%
Other services3.9%
US avg: 7%
Wholesale trade3.6%
US avg: 7.2%
Arts, entertainment, food3.5%
US avg: 2.4%
Public administration3.5%
US avg: 4.9%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing1%
US avg: 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.4%
US avg: 0.5%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$116,100
+72%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,300 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$765
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $504 in 2000
US average: $853
48.6%
−13.8 ptssince 2000
from 62.4% in 2000
51.4% rent
18.0%
+7.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.79 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.74 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
33.6%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 37.8% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
33.0%
−10.8 ptssince 2009
from 43.8% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
3.2
+7%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic81.9%(2,327)
Black2.2%(62)
Hispanic / Latino3.6%(101)
Asian1.9%(55)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic75.7%(5,901)
Black4.9%(382)
Hispanic / Latino7.9%(620)
Asian2.1%(167)
Other9.3%(727)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican4.6%(351)
Puerto Rican2.3%(178)
Bolivian1.3%(99)
Colombian0.3%(20)
Panamanian0.2%(17)
Nicaraguan0.1%(9)
Ancestry
German32.2%(2,476)
Irish14.6%(1,123)
English9%(693)
Norwegian5.5%(420)
Italian5.2%(398)
Scottish4.9%(374)
American3.9%(302)
French3.8%(291)
Swedish2.2%(168)
Polish1.9%(145)
Dutch1.8%(140)
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data
Czech1.1%(85)
Russian0.9%(68)
British0.8%(60)
Belgian0.6%(48)
Danish0.6%(48)
Welsh0.6%(44)
Ukrainian0.5%(42)
Canadian0.5%(37)
Greek0.5%(37)
Hungarian0.3%(21)
Swiss0.2%(13)
Romanian0.1%(10)
Iranian0.1%(8)
Portuguese0.1%(8)
Jamaican0.1%(8)
Finnish0.1%(7)
Austrian0.1%(6)
Slovak0.1%(6)
Section 05

Education

15.2%
+7.1 ptssince 2000
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
87.9%
+1.7 ptssince 2000
from 86.1% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
4.7%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 1.8% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

12.7 min
+26%since 2000
from 10.0 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
78.6%
+5.6 ptssince 2009
from 73.0% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
11.8%
−6.5 ptssince 2009
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
0.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
4.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
2.2%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
0.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
4.0%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

5.4%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
21.5%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

52.0%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
48.0%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
4.0%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
21.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 21.9% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
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).

10.0%
−5.8 ptssince 2013
from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
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%
10.7%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 10.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
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

Places similar to Box Elder

Head to head

Compare Box Elder to nearby cities

Frequently asked

How many people live in Box Elder, South Dakota?

Box Elder, South Dakota has about 7,800 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Box Elder, South Dakota earns about $36,530 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 $116,100, and the typical rent is about $765 a month.

How educated are people in Box Elder, South Dakota?

About 15.2% 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 9.9% of people in Box Elder, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Box Elder, South Dakota grown since 1990?

Yes, Box Elder, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,120 residents, a change of about 191 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

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

How we source and harmonize this data →