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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Custer

South Dakota · 1,860 residents · 2.48 sq mi
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The short version

Custer is home to 1,860 people in South Dakota. At a median age of 41.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Renters pay $281 a month at the median. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $65,400. The median household earns $31,739, about 25% below the national median. Getting to work takes 12 minutes on average.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 41.7
US median: 35.2
Average education
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

1,860
+7%since 1990
from 1,741 in 1990
1990 – 2025
41.7
+11%since 1990
from 37.6 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
2.48 sq mi
Population, 19902024
2K2K2K2K3K19902000201020202024Custer
20242K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56%(112)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.3%(118)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.1%(114)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.3%(136)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 244.4%(81)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.1%(206)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4413.5%(251)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5415.2%(282)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6410.5%(196)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 748.1%(151)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 847%(131)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over4.4%(82)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$31,739
+25%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $19,227 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$17,216
+65%since 1990
from $10,424 in 1990
US average: $21,522
11.3%
−3.8 ptssince 1990
from 15.0% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$65,400
+18%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $41,900 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$281
−25%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $284 in 1990
US average: $602
60.8%
+3.4 ptssince 1990
from 57.4% in 1990
39.2% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic98.1%(1,708)
Black0.1%(1)
Hispanic / Latino0.2%(3)
Asian0%(0)
2000
White, non-Hispanic94.9%(1,766)
Black0.3%(5)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(28)
Asian0.2%(3)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.7%(40)
Puerto Rican0.5%(12)
Asian origin
Filipino0.9%(20)
Korean0.4%(9)
Ancestry
German31.6%(740)
Irish18.8%(439)
English8.8%(206)
American4%(93)
Norwegian3.4%(80)
French3.4%(79)
Swedish2.8%(65)
Russian2.1%(48)
Scottish2%(46)
Italian1.6%(37)
Dutch1.5%(34)
Welsh1.4%(32)
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian1.3%(31)
Polish0.9%(22)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(16)
Czech0.6%(13)
Danish0.6%(13)
British0.5%(12)
Canadian0.5%(11)
Finnish0.5%(11)
Swiss0.3%(6)
Ukrainian0.1%(2)
Section 05

Education

22.5%
+7.9 ptssince 1990
from 14.6% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
86.0%
+6.8 ptssince 1990
from 79.2% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
6.5%
+2.7 ptssince 1990
from 3.8% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

12.1 min
−29%since 1990
from 17.2 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married22.7%(165)
Married61.2%(444)
Widowed5%(36)
Divorced11.2%(81)
Women 15+
Never married14.9%(119)
Married56.1%(449)
Widowed18.6%(149)
Divorced10.4%(83)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

11.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2013
from 12.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
46.4%
−11.0 ptssince 2020
from 57.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
29.1%
+8.5 ptssince 2020
from 20.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
35.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 35.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
15.4%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 13.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
7.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 8.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
72.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 72.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
45.1%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 44.2% 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)5.4%(11)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.2%(31)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era44.6%(91)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War8.8%(18)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 204 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Custer, South Dakota?

Custer, South Dakota has about 1,860 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Custer, South Dakota?

The typical household in Custer, South Dakota earns about $31,739 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Custer, South Dakota expensive?

In Custer, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $65,400, and the typical rent is about $281 a month.

How educated are people in Custer, South Dakota?

About 22.5% of adults age 25 and over in Custer, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Custer, South Dakota?

About 11.3% of people in Custer, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Custer, South Dakota grown since 1990?

Yes, Custer, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 119 residents, a change of about 7 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →