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COUNTY

Meade County

South Dakota · 30,711 residents (2025 est.) · 3,470.934 sq mi
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The short version

Meade County has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $74,790. Population has grown 26% since 2000. Median home value has more than tripled since 2000, reaching $310,900. It sits in the top 10% of US counties for household income.

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

Total population
30,546
+26%since 2000
from 24,253 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
9 / sq mi
+27%since 2009
from 7 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
37.3
+12%since 2000
from 33.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:30,711 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
21K24K26K29K31K1990201020202024Meade County
202431K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(1,559)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.9%(1,813)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146%(1,846)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.6%(2,015)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.5%(2,294)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3415.1%(4,617)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.7%(4,170)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.5%(3,194)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.9%(3,934)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.6%(3,232)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.7%(1,424)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.5%(448)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$74,790
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,992 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,550
+118%since 2000
from $17,680 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
49.8%
+29.4 ptssince 2009
from 20.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
7.1%
−2.3 ptssince 2000
from 9.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.391
+4%since 2010
from 0.377 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade10.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services5.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical5.4%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing5.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction4.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration4.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Retail trade4.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.7%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$310,900
+118%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $78,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,264
+48%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $468 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
72.9%
+4.7 ptssince 2000
from 68.2% in 2000
27.1% rent
Vacancy rate
7.0%
−5.1 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
21.6%
−9.5 ptssince 2009
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
33.8%
+6.1 ptssince 2009
from 27.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.2
+25%since 2009
from 3.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
75
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Meade County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic91.6%(22,212)
Black1.4%(346)
Hispanic / Latino2.1%(509)
Asian0.6%(152)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic85%(25,971)
Black1.7%(533)
Hispanic / Latino4.9%(1,489)
Asian0.7%(211)
Other7.7%(2,342)
Diversity Score
34
+45%since 2009
from 23 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
20
−8%since 2020
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

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.9%(889)
Puerto Rican1.1%(326)
Honduran0.2%(49)
Dominican0.1%(45)
Spaniard0.1%(40)
Cuban0.1%(37)
Asian origin
Filipino0.3%(79)
Chinese0.2%(74)
Japanese0.1%(34)
Korean0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(12)
Ancestry
German30.7%(9,390)
Irish11.3%(3,458)
Norwegian8.3%(2,532)
English8.3%(2,530)
American4.6%(1,417)
Polish2.8%(862)
Swedish2.3%(694)
Italian2.1%(640)
French1.8%(541)
Scottish1.6%(500)
Czech1.5%(458)
Dutch1.5%(446)
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.9%(283)
Danish0.8%(253)
Welsh0.5%(168)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(139)
Canadian0.4%(116)
Finnish0.4%(109)
Swiss0.3%(105)
Hungarian0.3%(86)
Arab0.2%(75)
Lebanese0.2%(75)
British0.2%(51)
Turkish0.1%(36)
Nigerian0.1%(31)
Ukrainian0.1%(23)
Ethiopian0%(11)
Belgian0%(9)
Slovene0%(9)
Greek0%(2)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest English population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
27.8%
+10.9 ptssince 2000
from 16.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
95.0%
+7.3 ptssince 2000
from 87.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.4%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 4.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.8 min
+66%since 2000
from 11.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 76.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.5%
−5.3 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.1%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
5.2%
+2.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2011
from 3.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
69.1%
−1.5 ptssince 2011
from 70.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
11.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
33.8%
−29.2 ptssince 2009
from 63.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
52.4%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
Female
47.6%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
Foreign born
1.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
12.7%
−34.0 ptssince 2009
from 46.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2012
from 13.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
9.4%
−79.2 ptssince 2013
from 88.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
93.4%
+13.4 ptssince 2017
from 80.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
96.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2016
from 96.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.7%
+0.2 ptssince 2016
from 1.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.9%(4,775)
Married53.1%(7,064)
Widowed2%(266)
Divorced9.1%(1,209)
Women 15+
Never married25.7%(3,083)
Married59.4%(7,133)
Widowed5.3%(635)
Divorced9.7%(1,163)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Meade County to nearby counties

MEADE COUNTY VS
Pennington County
Income$74,517same
Home value$302,200−3%
Population116,792+280%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MEADE COUNTY VS
Butte County
Income$75,652+1%
Home value$244,600−21%
Population10,856−65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MEADE COUNTY VS
Lawrence County
Income$73,384−2%
Home value$346,500+11%
Population29,459−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MEADE COUNTY VS
Ziebach County
Income$53,958−28%
Home value$99,600−68%
Population2,389−92%
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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Explore from here

7 census tracts
Census Tract 203.03Census Tract 203.02Census Tract 205Census Tract 204.02Census Tract 204.01Census Tract 202Census Tract 203.04
14 ZIP codes
ZIP 57719ZIP 57785ZIP 57718ZIP 57769ZIP 57706ZIP 57761ZIP 57787ZIP 57748ZIP 57767ZIP 57741ZIP 57792ZIP 57791ZIP 57737ZIP 57758
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →