CensusEasy
CITY · 2010 ACS

Box Elder

South Dakota · 7,800 residents · 14.753 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Rapid City metro area
Compare
The short version

Box Elder has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $36,530. The city has more than doubled in size since 2000, adding 4,959 residents. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 28%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $116,100. At a median age of 23.5, residents skew younger than the country as a whole.

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

Total population
7,800
+175%since 2000
from 2,841 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
23.5
−11%since 2000
from 26.3 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K5K8K11K14K1990201020202024Box 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

Median household income
$36,530
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,344 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$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%
Poverty rate
9.9%
−6.0 ptssince 2000
from 15.9% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
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

Median home value
$116,100
+72%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,300 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$765
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $504 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
37.8%
−24.7 ptssince 2000
from 62.4% in 2000
51.4% rent
Vacancy rate
18.0%
+7.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Owner cost-burdened
33.6%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 37.8% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
33.0%
−10.8 ptssince 2009
from 43.8% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
3.2
+7%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Box Elder on RentDataNow
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)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
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%
Graduate degree
4.7%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 1.8% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
12.7 min
+26%since 2000
from 10.0 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
78.6%
+5.6 ptssince 2009
from 73.0% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
11.8%
−6.5 ptssince 2009
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
0.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
4.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
2.2%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
4.0%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
5.4%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
21.5%
−39.1 ptssince 2009
from 60.6% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
52.0%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
Female
48.0%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
Foreign born
4.0%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
21.8%
−24.9 ptssince 2009
from 46.7% 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Box Elder

Jensen Beach
Pop 12,531
Lockhart
Pop 15,371
Iona
Pop 13,631
Lantana
Pop 12,449
Places similar to Box Elder
Head to head

Compare Box Elder to nearby cities

BOX ELDER VS
Rapid City
Income$70,870+94%
Home value$299,400+158%
Population80,589+478%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BOX ELDER VS
Spearfish
Income$65,688+80%
Home value$346,200+198%
Population14,154+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
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

Up the hierarchy
South Dakota
Rankings
Highest income citiesFastest growing citiesMost educated cities
Compare
Compare Box Elder with another place

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

How we source and harmonize this data →