United States › South Dakota › Box Elder CITY · 2020 ACS
Box Elder South Dakota · 11,746 residents · 14.8 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Box Elder is a city of 11,746 people in South Dakota. The population has more than tripled since 2000, adding 8,905 people. This skews young, with a median age of 27.8. 43% of homes are owner-occupied. 72% were living in the same home a year earlier. The foreign-born share is 3%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 27.8
US median: 38.8
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 132%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 26.3 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K 5K 8K 11K 14K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Box Elder Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $56,429
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,344 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $12,692 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 17.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 15.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 6.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 5%
Transportation & warehousing 3%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.7%
Education & health services 1.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.5%
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$186,000
+132%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$1,058
+40%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $504 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 62.4% in 2000
56.6% rent
2.74 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.74 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 3.0 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 81.9%(2,327)
Hispanic / Latino 3.6%(101)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 71%(8,340)
Hispanic / Latino 7.7%(908)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 86.1% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 1.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 73.0% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 79.3% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 30.9%(1,579)
Women 15+
Never married 25.2%(1,155)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 63.9%(766)
Gulf War (1990s) 36.4%(436)
Share of the 1,199 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.
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Compare Box Elder to nearby cities Frequently asked
How many people live in Box Elder, South Dakota? Box Elder, South Dakota has about 11,746 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Box Elder, South Dakota? The typical household in Box Elder, South Dakota earns about $56,429 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 $186,000, and the typical rent is about $1,058 a month.
How educated are people in Box Elder, South Dakota? About 27.9% 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 8.6% 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 9,066 residents, a change of about 338 percent over that period.
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