United States › South Dakota › Bridgewater CITY
Bridgewater South Dakota · 517 residents (2025 est.) · 1.13 sq mi
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The short version
Bridgewater is a city of 451 people in South Dakota. At a median age of 48.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $116,100. Households here earn about 37% less than in South Dakota as a whole. 1% of people here were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 48.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 67%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 607 in 2000
517 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
401 / sq mi
−28%since 2009
from 556 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 43.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
307 394 481 567 654 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Bridgewater Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $47,083
−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,765 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,855 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.422 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Education & health services 15.1%
Transportation & warehousing 6.4%
Public administration 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 3.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.3%
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$116,100
+67%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$729
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $389 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 72.2% in 2000
28.0% rent
from 26.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
1.96 people
−15%since 2009
from 2.30 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 45.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.7 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 96.9%(588)
Hispanic / Latino 1.8%(11)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 93.6%(422)
from 20 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
+ 1 more ancestry group with data from 13.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 76.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.4% 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 9.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 70.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 89.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 93.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 59.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 28.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 18.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 73.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.9% 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) 23.8%(5)
Share of the 21 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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Frequently asked
How many people live in Bridgewater, South Dakota? Bridgewater, South Dakota has about 451 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Bridgewater, South Dakota? The typical household in Bridgewater, South Dakota earns about $47,083 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Bridgewater, South Dakota expensive? In Bridgewater, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $116,100, and the typical rent is about $729 a month.
How educated are people in Bridgewater, South Dakota? About 13.8% of adults age 25 and over in Bridgewater, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Bridgewater, South Dakota? About 10.8% of people in Bridgewater, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Bridgewater, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Bridgewater, South Dakota has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 94 residents, a change of about -17 percent over that period.
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