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COUNTY

Lincoln County

South Dakota · 77,145 residents (2025 est.) · 577.293 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#58Fastest growingof 3,135+18.4%#84Lowest poverty rateof 3,1445.6%
The short version

Lincoln County is wealthier than most US places, with a median household income of $99,166. The county has more than doubled in size since 2000, adding 46,507 residents. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $348,300. Poverty is rare here, at 5.6% of residents. It ranks in the top 1% of US counties for household income. Households here earn about 32% more than the South Dakota median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.9
US median: 38.9
More educated
44% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 85%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
70,638
+193%since 2000
from 24,131 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
122 / sq mi
+88%since 2009
from 65 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
35.9
+6%since 2000
from 34.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:77,145 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
10K26K43K60K76K1990201020202024Lincoln County
202471K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.2%(4,411)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.7%(5,424)
US avg: 6%
10 to 148%(5,672)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.7%(4,715)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.6%(3,931)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.2%(10,033)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4415%(10,598)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.5%(8,152)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.4%(7,336)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749%(6,392)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.3%(3,038)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.3%(936)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$99,166
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $48,338 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$52,585
+136%since 2000
from $22,304 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
65.6%
+24.6 ptssince 2009
from 41.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
5.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 4.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.438
+1%since 2010
from 0.432 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.1%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services10.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration9.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Retail trade8%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade5.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance3.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Transportation & warehousing3.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Professional, scientific, technical3.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$348,300
+85%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $103,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,260
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $559 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
71.2%
−8.4 ptssince 2000
from 79.7% in 2000
28.8% rent
Vacancy rate
2.9%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
15.3%
−7.0 ptssince 2009
from 22.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
36.2%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 34.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.5
+46%since 2009
from 2.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
63
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Lincoln County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic97.3%(23,470)
Black0.3%(78)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(169)
Asian0.5%(112)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic89%(62,872)
Black2.3%(1,616)
Hispanic / Latino3.2%(2,226)
Asian1.7%(1,217)
Other3.8%(2,707)
Diversity Score
26
+144%since 2009
from 10 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
13
−55%since 2020
from 30 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican2%(1,429)
Guatemalan0.3%(220)
Cuban0.1%(87)
Salvadoran0.1%(81)
Panamanian0.1%(67)
Puerto Rican0.1%(47)
Chilean0%(23)
Dominican0%(19)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.3%(187)
Filipino0.2%(135)
Pakistani0.1%(55)
Japanese0.1%(54)
Korean0.1%(46)
Chinese0%(28)
Laotian0%(27)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German35.8%(25,301)
Norwegian14.3%(10,097)
Irish9.2%(6,507)
English7.1%(4,994)
Dutch6.6%(4,642)
American5.1%(3,599)
Swedish3.6%(2,512)
Polish1.6%(1,162)
Danish1.6%(1,098)
Italian1.5%(1,061)
Ukrainian1.4%(989)
French1.4%(978)
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data
Czech1.3%(891)
Scottish0.9%(638)
Russian0.8%(580)
Belgian0.4%(297)
Swiss0.3%(221)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(185)
Finnish0.3%(180)
Nigerian0.2%(170)
Greek0.2%(166)
British0.2%(114)
Arab0.2%(112)
Portuguese0.1%(93)
Lebanese0.1%(81)
Serbian0.1%(78)
Slovak0.1%(75)
Ethiopian0.1%(75)
Austrian0.1%(72)
Welsh0.1%(69)
Armenian0.1%(66)
Romanian0.1%(37)
Croatian0%(31)
Hungarian0%(26)
Ghanaian0%(23)
Jamaican0%(21)
Latvian0%(14)
Syrian0%(13)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Dutch population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
44.4%
+19.0 ptssince 2000
from 25.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
96.5%
+7.1 ptssince 2000
from 89.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
14.5%
+8.3 ptssince 2000
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.3 min
+55%since 2000
from 12.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.1%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 84.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
5.6%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.3%
+8.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
2.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
1.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2011
from 2.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
75.6%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 78.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
12.2%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
48.0%
−16.0 ptssince 2009
from 64.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.4%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.9% in 2009
Female
50.6%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
Foreign born
4.9%
+3.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.1%
−44.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
9.2%
+3.2 ptssince 2012
from 6.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.1%
−90.9 ptssince 2013
from 95.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
95.7%
+8.2 ptssince 2017
from 87.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
94.2%
−1.6 ptssince 2016
from 95.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 1.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30.4%(8,231)
Married61.2%(16,579)
Widowed2%(530)
Divorced6.5%(1,751)
Women 15+
Never married25%(7,006)
Married58.7%(16,458)
Widowed4.8%(1,336)
Divorced11.6%(3,240)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Lincoln County to nearby counties

LINCOLN COUNTY VS
Turner County
Income$75,771−24%
Home value$222,900−36%
Population9,314−88%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LINCOLN COUNTY VS
Lyon County
Income$76,746−23%
Home value$230,000−34%
Population12,354−84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LINCOLN COUNTY VS
Minnehaha County
Income$76,880−22%
Home value$287,600−17%
Population212,691+176%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LINCOLN COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income$56,850−43%
Home value$232,300−33%
Population15,031−81%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lincoln County, South Dakota?

Lincoln County, South Dakota has about 70,638 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Lincoln County, South Dakota?

The typical household in Lincoln County, South Dakota earns about $99,166 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lincoln County, South Dakota expensive?

In Lincoln County, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $348,300, and the typical rent is about $1,260 a month.

How educated are people in Lincoln County, South Dakota?

About 44.4% of adults age 25 and over in Lincoln County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lincoln County, South Dakota?

About 5.6% of people in Lincoln County, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lincoln County, South Dakota grown since 1990?

Yes, Lincoln County, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 55,211 residents, a change of about 358 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

13 census tracts
Census Tract 101.07Census Tract 101.15Census Tract 101.10Census Tract 101.12Census Tract 101.09Census Tract 101.03Census Tract 103Census Tract 101.13Census Tract 101.16Census Tract 101.14Census Tract 102Census Tract 101.11Census Tract 104
9 ZIP codes
ZIP 57108ZIP 57032ZIP 57064ZIP 57013ZIP 57004ZIP 57039ZIP 57077ZIP 57034ZIP 57027
Up the hierarchy
All counties in South Dakota
Rankings
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →