United States › South Dakota › Brule County COUNTY
Brule County South Dakota · 5,278 residents (2025 est.) · 817 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 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Brule County is home to 5,283 people in South Dakota. That puts it in the top 8% of US counties for household income. There are 6 people per square mile. The foreign-born share is 1%. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. Getting to work takes 16 minutes on average.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 93%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 5,364 in 2000
5,278 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 6 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 5K 5K 5K 6K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Brule County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $73,720
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,370 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,874 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 14.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.342 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 17%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.9%
Public administration 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Education & health services 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$216,800
+93%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$835
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $378 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.2% in 2000
23.6% rent
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 36.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 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 89.6%(4,807)
Hispanic / Latino 0.5%(26)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 81.2%(4,289)
Hispanic / Latino 2.3%(121)
from 28 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 48 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data from 20.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 81.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 68.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 2.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 70.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 79.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 39.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 19.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 87.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 53.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 26.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 14.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 75.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 29.2% 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) 17%(29)
Gulf War (1990s) 32.2%(55)
Share of the 171 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
Places similar to Brule County Head to head
Compare Brule County to nearby counties BRULE COUNTY VS
Buffalo County
Income $47,045 −36%
Home value $117,800 −46%
Population 1,802 −66%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BRULE COUNTY VS
Aurora County
Income $72,885 −1%
Home value $151,900 −30%
Population 2,801 −47%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BRULE COUNTY VS
Jerauld County
Income $73,750 same
Home value $150,800 −30%
Population 1,654 −69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BRULE COUNTY VS
Gregory County
Income $62,917 −15%
Home value $139,900 −35%
Population 4,037 −24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Brule County, South Dakota? Brule County, South Dakota has about 5,283 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Brule County, South Dakota? The typical household in Brule County, South Dakota earns about $73,720 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Brule County, South Dakota expensive? In Brule County, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $216,800, and the typical rent is about $835 a month.
How educated are people in Brule County, South Dakota? About 28.7% of adults age 25 and over in Brule County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Brule County, South Dakota? About 10.7% of people in Brule County, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Brule County, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Brule County, South Dakota has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 202 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.
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