United States › South Dakota › Meade County COUNTY
Meade County South Dakota · 30,711 residents (2025 est.) · 3,471 sq mi
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The short version
Meade County is home to 30,546 people in South Dakota. That puts it in the top 7% of US counties for household income. There are 9 people per square mile. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. 6,293 more people live here than in 2000. About 28% of adults have finished a four-year degree.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 118%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 24,253 in 2000
30,711 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 7 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
21K 24K 26K 29K 31K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Meade County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $74,790
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,992 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,680 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 20.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.377 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.4%
Public administration 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
Education & health services 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$310,900
+118%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $78,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,264
+48%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $468 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 68.2% in 2000
27.1% rent
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 27.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.3 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 91.6%(22,212)
Hispanic / Latino 2.1%(509)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 85%(25,971)
Hispanic / Latino 4.9%(1,489)
from 23 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 21 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
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 16.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 87.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 3.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 70.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 77.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 80.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 81.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 35.9%(4,775)
Women 15+
Never married 25.7%(3,083)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 10.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 73.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 27.5% 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) 43.1%(1,232)
Gulf War (1990s) 26.4%(755)
Share of the 2,861 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 Meade County Head to head
Compare Meade County to nearby counties MEADE COUNTY VS
Pennington County
Income $74,517 same
Home value $302,200 −3%
Population 116,792 +280%
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MEADE COUNTY VS
Butte County
Income $75,652 +1%
Home value $244,600 −21%
Population 10,856 −65%
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MEADE COUNTY VS
Lawrence County
Income $73,384 −2%
Home value $346,500 +11%
Population 29,459 −4%
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MEADE COUNTY VS
Ziebach County
Income $53,958 −28%
Home value $99,600 −68%
Population 2,389 −92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Meade County, South Dakota? Meade County, South Dakota has about 30,546 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Meade County, South Dakota? The typical household in Meade County, South Dakota earns about $74,790 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Meade County, South Dakota expensive? In Meade County, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $310,900, and the typical rent is about $1,264 a month.
How educated are people in Meade County, South Dakota? About 27.8% of adults age 25 and over in Meade County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Meade County, South Dakota? About 7.1% of people in Meade County, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Meade County, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Meade County, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,668 residents, a change of about 40 percent over that period.
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