United States › South Dakota › Lake County COUNTY
Lake County South Dakota · 10,993 residents (2025 est.) · 563 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
With 10,972 people, Lake County is a county in South Dakota. Few US counties rank higher on income. At a median age of 43.8, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Density works out to 19 people per square mile. The average commute runs 15 minutes. 4% of people here were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.8
US median: 38.9
Average education
35% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 84%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 11,276 in 2000
10,993 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 20 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
10K 11K 12K 12K 13K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lake County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $76,808
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,087 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,446 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.408 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 9.9%
Education & health services 5.4%
Public administration 3.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$247,600
+84%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $73,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$947
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $382 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 70.5% in 2000
26.2% rent
from 21.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.40 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 17.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 42.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 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 97.4%(10,981)
Hispanic / Latino 0.8%(89)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 88.8%(9,748)
Hispanic / Latino 5.3%(577)
from 9 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 15 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
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 21.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 85.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 75.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 3.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 84.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 7.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 76.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 93.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 34.6%(1,702)
Women 15+
Never married 25.1%(1,086)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 7.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 55.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 23.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 11.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 78.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 32.7% 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) 14.4%(98)
Gulf War (1990s) 12.8%(87)
Share of the 682 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 Lake County Head to head
Compare Lake County to nearby counties LAKE COUNTY VS
Moody County
Income $78,427 +2%
Home value $226,500 −9%
Population 6,632 −40%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE COUNTY VS
Miner County
Income $76,140 −1%
Home value $142,600 −42%
Population 2,281 −79%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE COUNTY VS
McCook County
Income $83,852 +9%
Home value $230,100 −7%
Population 5,964 −46%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE COUNTY VS
Brookings County
Income $70,064 −9%
Home value $264,600 +7%
Population 37,635 +242%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Lake County, South Dakota? Lake County, South Dakota has about 10,972 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lake County, South Dakota? The typical household in Lake County, South Dakota earns about $76,808 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Lake County, South Dakota expensive? In Lake County, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $247,600, and the typical rent is about $947 a month.
How educated are people in Lake County, South Dakota? About 34.6% of adults age 25 and over in Lake County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Lake County, South Dakota? About 8.4% of people in Lake County, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Lake County, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Lake County, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 422 residents, a change of about 4 percent over that period.
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