United States › South Dakota › Custer CITY · 2020 ACS
Custer South Dakota · 1,919 residents · 2.48 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
Custer is home to 1,919 people in South Dakota. At a median age of 53.9, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $142,800. The foreign-born share is 3%. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 19.0% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 53.9
US median: 38.8
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 45%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 41.7 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K 2K 2K 2K 3K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Custer Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $57,300
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,739 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $17,216 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 8.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 6.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.4%
Education & health services 4.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
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$142,800
+45%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $65,400 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$792
+88%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $281 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 60.8% in 2000
37.1% rent
from 1.93 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 3.2 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 94.9%(1,766)
Hispanic / Latino 1.5%(28)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 90.2%(1,730)
Hispanic / Latino 3.4%(65)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data from 22.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 86.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 6.5% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 76.7% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 1.0% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 60.0% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 37.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 12.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.0% 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) 6.1%(20)
Gulf War (1990s) 34.5%(113)
Share of the 328 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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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Custer, South Dakota? Custer, South Dakota has about 1,919 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Custer, South Dakota? The typical household in Custer, South Dakota earns about $57,300 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 $142,800, and the typical rent is about $792 a month.
How educated are people in Custer, South Dakota? About 25.4% 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 19.0% 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 178 residents, a change of about 10 percent over that period.
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