United States › South Dakota › Hand County COUNTY
Hand County South Dakota · 3,121 residents (2025 est.) · 1,437 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Hand County is a county of 3,140 people in South Dakota. Few US counties rank higher on income. Density works out to 2 people per square mile. The average commute runs 13 minutes. The foreign-born share is 1%. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $159,300.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 88%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 3,741 in 2000
3,121 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 2 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 43.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K 3K 4K 4K 4K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Hand County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $74,635
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,377 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,735 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.378 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 30.1%
Transportation & warehousing 4.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.1%
Education & health services 2.2%
Public administration 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.7%
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$159,300
+88%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $46,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$587
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $306 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 73.8% in 2000
34.5% rent
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.20 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 29.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.6 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 99.1%(3,709)
Hispanic / Latino 0.3%(11)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 92.2%(2,895)
Hispanic / Latino 2.1%(65)
from 0 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 3 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
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 15.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 66.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 1.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 77.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 37.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 7.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 7.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 47.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 38.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 8.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 83.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 30.3% 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) 20.2%(23)
Share of the 114 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 Hand County Head to head
Compare Hand County to nearby counties HAND COUNTY VS
Hyde County
Income $73,472 −2%
Home value $181,600 +14%
Population 1,191 −62%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HAND COUNTY VS
Buffalo County
Income $47,045 −37%
Home value $117,800 −26%
Population 1,802 −42%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HAND COUNTY VS
Faulk County
Income $57,750 −23%
Home value $147,500 −7%
Population 2,178 −30%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HAND COUNTY VS
Beadle County
Income $67,681 −9%
Home value $175,100 +10%
Population 19,624 +529%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Hand County, South Dakota? Hand County, South Dakota has about 3,140 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Hand County, South Dakota? The typical household in Hand County, South Dakota earns about $74,635 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Hand County, South Dakota expensive? In Hand County, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $159,300, and the typical rent is about $587 a month.
How educated are people in Hand County, South Dakota? About 28.4% of adults age 25 and over in Hand County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Hand County, South Dakota? About 5.2% of people in Hand County, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Hand County, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Hand County, South Dakota has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,132 residents, a change of about -26 percent over that period.
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