COMPARING TWO PLACES
Custer vs Big Rapids
PLACE A
Custer, South Dakota
VS
PLACE B
Big Rapids, Michigan
Custer is 79% smaller than Big Rapids. Custer earns more, with a median household income $34,511 higher. Custer has grown faster since 2000 (-7% vs -27%).
CUSTERBIG RAPIDSDIFFERENCE
Total population1,8038,623−79% vs Big Rapids
Population density7271,940−1,213
Population growth-7.2%-27.1%+20.0 pts
Median age51.222.9+28.3
Male44.8%52.3%−7.5 pts
Female55.2%47.7%+7.5 pts
Foreign-born1.8%0.9%+0.9 pts
White, non-Hispanic86.4%86.4%−0.1 pts
Black0.0%5.9%−5.9 pts
Hispanic / Latino2.2%2.7%−0.5 pts
Asian1.2%1.2%+0.1 pts
Other10.2%3.8%+6.4 pts
Median household income$78,369$43,858+$34,511
Per capita income$48,209$23,446+$24,763
Poverty rate14.2%34.1%−19.9 pts
Income inequality (Gini)0.4890.479Even
Bachelor's degree or higher26.1%26.9%−0.8 pts
Graduate degree8.1%7.9%+0.2 pts
Unemployment rate4.0%4.3%−0.4 pts
Labor force participation52.4%65.2%−12.8 pts
Median home value$235,600$156,400+$79,200
Median gross rent$968$929+$39
Owner-occupied69.5%41.5%+28.1 pts
Housing vacancy rate15.5%13.2%+2.3 pts
Rent-burdened households30.1%50.0%−19.9 pts
Average commute18.714.9+3.8
Worked from home8.1%9.0%−0.9 pts
Public transit to work0.0%0.5%−0.5 pts
Uninsured11.7%6.2%+5.5 pts
Population, 1990 – 2025