United States › South Dakota › Butte County COUNTY
Butte County South Dakota · 10,856 residents (2025 est.) · 2,250 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 10,676 people, Butte County is a county in South Dakota. That puts it in the top 7% of US counties for household income. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. There are 5 people per square mile. The foreign-born share is 1%. 76% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 157%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 9,094 in 2000
10,856 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 4 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 8K 9K 10K 11K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Butte County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $75,652
+43%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,040 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,997 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 12.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.400 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 14.9%
Public administration 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing 3.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.5%
Education & health services 0.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.3%
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$244,600
+157%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $52,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$972
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $401 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 73.2% in 2000
23.9% rent
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.44 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.43 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 26.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 42.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 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 94.1%(8,557)
Hispanic / Latino 2.9%(266)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 88%(9,395)
Hispanic / Latino 4.3%(456)
from 17 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 1 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
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 12.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 68.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 65.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 79.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 75.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 29.2%(1,248)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 41.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 20.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 17.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 6.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 61.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 39.3% 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) 30.7%(172)
Gulf War (1990s) 30.9%(173)
Share of the 560 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 Butte County Head to head
Compare Butte County to nearby counties BUTTE COUNTY VS
Lawrence County
Income $73,384 −3%
Home value $346,500 +42%
Population 29,459 +171%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUTTE COUNTY VS
Meade County
Income $74,790 −1%
Home value $310,900 +27%
Population 30,711 +183%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUTTE COUNTY VS
Harding County
Income $80,441 +6%
Home value $166,100 −32%
Population 1,331 −88%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUTTE COUNTY VS
Crook County
Income $79,637 +5%
Home value $285,800 +17%
Population 7,852 −28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Butte County, South Dakota? Butte County, South Dakota has about 10,676 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Butte County, South Dakota? The typical household in Butte County, South Dakota earns about $75,652 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Butte County, South Dakota expensive? In Butte County, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $244,600, and the typical rent is about $972 a month.
How educated are people in Butte County, South Dakota? About 19.9% of adults age 25 and over in Butte County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Butte County, South Dakota? About 8.6% of people in Butte County, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Butte County, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Butte County, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,762 residents, a change of about 35 percent over that period.
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