Hughes County is home to 17,664 people in South Dakota. Few US counties rank higher on income. 1% of locals were born outside the United States. The average commute runs 15 minutes. Density works out to 24 people per square mile. The typical home is worth $242,000, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Average income
median household income $81,395, near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.5
US median: 38.9
Average education
39% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 53%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Hughes County
What changed most since 1990
Homes owned by their occupants63.2% → 72.0%(+8.8 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
White share92.3% → 80.2%(−12.1 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
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)26.9%(330)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.9%(195)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.4%(410)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.7%(95)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,226 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
Over time
Hughes County, decade by decade
Hughes County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
14,817
$64,941
$140,164
25.6%
18.0
2000
16,481
$78,277
$158,302
32.0%
26.2
2010
17,022
$76,965
$191,618
33.3%
32.8
2020
17,765
$84,328
$219,864
36.6%
43.5
2024
17,664
$81,395
$242,000
39.0%
41.4
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
