United States › South Dakota › Dewey County COUNTY
Dewey County South Dakota · 5,419 residents (2025 est.) · 2,302 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
Dewey County is home to 5,205 people in South Dakota. This skews young, with a median age of 27.7. The poverty rate is 33.0%, above the 12.5% national rate. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 19% of adults. The typical home is worth $69,600, having more than doubled since 2000. There are 2 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 27.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 5,972 in 2000
5,419 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 3 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 26.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 5K 6K 6K 6K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Dewey County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $54,104
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $23,272 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $9,251 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 33.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.491 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 13.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 3.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Education & health services 1.5%
Public administration 1.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$69,600
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$692
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $308 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 55.2% in 2000
38.8% rent
from 15.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 3.15 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 30.8% 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 24.1%(1,438)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(51)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 21%(1,094)
from 44 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 38 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
+ 7 more ancestry groups with data from 12.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 77.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 59.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 20.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 63.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 75.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 34.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 45.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 10.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 34.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 71.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 96.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 87.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 34.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 23.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 10.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 38.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 31.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.1% 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) 12.2%(17)
Gulf War (1990s) 30.9%(43)
Share of the 139 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Dewey County Head to head
Compare Dewey County to nearby counties DEWEY COUNTY VS
Corson County
Income $46,406 −14%
Home value $69,800 same
Population 3,781 −30%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DEWEY COUNTY VS
Ziebach County
Income $53,958 same
Home value $99,600 +43%
Population 2,389 −56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DEWEY COUNTY VS
Potter County
Income $72,045 +33%
Home value $121,300 +74%
Population 2,377 −56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DEWEY COUNTY VS
Walworth County
Income $65,026 +20%
Home value $136,600 +96%
Population 5,217 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Dewey County, South Dakota? Dewey County, South Dakota has about 5,205 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Dewey County, South Dakota? The typical household in Dewey County, South Dakota earns about $54,104 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Dewey County, South Dakota expensive? In Dewey County, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $69,600, and the typical rent is about $692 a month.
How educated are people in Dewey County, South Dakota? About 18.8% of adults age 25 and over in Dewey County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Dewey County, South Dakota? About 33.0% of people in Dewey County, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Dewey County, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Dewey County, South Dakota has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 318 residents, a change of about -6 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 