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COUNTY

Pennington County

South Dakota · 116,792 residents (2025 est.) · 2,777 sq mi
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The short version

With 113,512 people, Pennington County is a county in South Dakota. That puts it in the top 7% of US counties for household income. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. 24,947 more people live here than in 2000. There are 41 people per square mile. Getting to work takes 19 minutes on average.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.1
US median: 38.9
Average education
35% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 98%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
113,512
+28%since 2000
from 88,565 in 2000
116,792 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
41 / sq mi
+17%since 2009
from 35 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
40.1
+15%since 2000
from 35.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
2,777 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
78K88K97K107K117K19902000201020202024Pennington County
2024114K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56%(6,841)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.3%(7,119)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.9%(6,736)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.1%(6,959)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.9%(6,675)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.8%(14,480)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.1%(13,682)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.8%(12,295)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414%(15,855)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.9%(14,671)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.1%(5,758)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.2%(2,441)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$74,517
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,485 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$42,302
+123%since 2000
from $18,938 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
49.7%
+25.3 ptssince 2009
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
11.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2000
from 11.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.460
+1%since 2010
from 0.454 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade10%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade6.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services5.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration4.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance3.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction1.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.8%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$302,200
+98%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,120
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $497 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
69.3%
+3.1 ptssince 2000
from 66.2% in 2000
30.7% rent
Vacancy rate
10.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.37 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.46 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
22.2%
−3.8 ptssince 2009
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
45.5%
+3.9 ptssince 2009
from 41.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.1
+31%since 2009
from 3.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
72
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic85.6%(75,797)
Black0.8%(722)
Hispanic / Latino2.6%(2,341)
Asian0.9%(763)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic77.8%(88,293)
Black1.1%(1,244)
Hispanic / Latino5.7%(6,444)
Asian1.2%(1,401)
Other14.2%(16,130)
Diversity Score
46
+30%since 2009
from 36 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
21
−22%since 2020
from 26 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
Mexican3.6%(4,070)
Puerto Rican0.5%(585)
Colombian0.4%(401)
Peruvian0.2%(199)
Spaniard0.1%(169)
Honduran0.1%(160)
Nicaraguan0.1%(113)
Cuban0.1%(96)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino0.5%(561)
Korean0.2%(209)
Burmese0.2%(171)
Chinese0.1%(163)
Japanese0.1%(125)
Bangladeshi0.1%(71)
Thai0%(37)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(51)
Samoan0%(39)
Ancestry
German29.1%(33,073)
Irish13.5%(15,297)
English11.9%(13,524)
Norwegian7.8%(8,890)
American3.6%(4,052)
French2.7%(3,061)
Swedish2.5%(2,891)
Italian2.5%(2,825)
Dutch2.4%(2,781)
Scottish2.4%(2,755)
Polish2.3%(2,601)
Czech1.4%(1,588)
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data
Danish1.4%(1,581)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(1,038)
Russian0.8%(882)
Welsh0.8%(880)
Greek0.4%(448)
Finnish0.4%(408)
Swiss0.3%(392)
British0.3%(349)
Arab0.3%(309)
Hungarian0.3%(302)
Austrian0.2%(271)
Canadian0.2%(268)
Lithuanian0.2%(198)
West Indian0.2%(185)
Lebanese0.1%(157)
Haitian0.1%(150)
Ukrainian0.1%(128)
Egyptian0.1%(109)
Ethiopian0.1%(85)
Belgian0.1%(84)
Portuguese0.1%(77)
Syrian0.1%(73)
Latvian0.1%(69)
Romanian0%(53)
Nigerian0%(43)
Iranian0%(34)
Turkish0%(33)
Jamaican0%(27)
Iraqi0%(21)
Croatian0%(21)
Slovak0%(21)
Kenyan0%(21)
Ghanaian0%(20)
Slovene0%(17)
Somali0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
34.6%
+9.7 ptssince 2000
from 25.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.6%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 87.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
12.7%
+4.7 ptssince 2000
from 8.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.4 min
+78%since 2000
from 10.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
77.4%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 80.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.1%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.6%
+5.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.9%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.7%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.6%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.2%
−3.0 ptssince 2011
from 6.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
64.4%
−5.8 ptssince 2011
from 70.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
77.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 77.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.6%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
39.6%
+6.1 ptssince 2009
from 33.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
51.0%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
Female
49.0%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
Foreign born
2.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
12.3%
−3.2 ptssince 2009
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.6%
+3.0 ptssince 2012
from 12.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.2%
−3.4 ptssince 2013
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.6%
+11.7 ptssince 2017
from 78.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
95.2%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 92.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
83.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 83.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
95.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2016
from 96.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 1.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.6%(16,393)
Married51.1%(24,195)
Widowed3.2%(1,508)
Divorced11.1%(5,251)
Women 15+
Never married26.2%(11,924)
Married49.8%(22,652)
Widowed8.6%(3,927)
Divorced15.3%(6,966)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.2%
−3.4 ptssince 2013
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
52.3%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 50.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
22.1%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 21.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
13.8%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
6.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 6.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
71.4%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 69.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.9%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 35.4% 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)30%(3,218)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)31.4%(3,371)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.3%(3,574)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.5%(272)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(5)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 10,727 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

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Head to head

Compare Pennington County to nearby counties

PENNINGTON COUNTY VS
Custer County
Income$84,112+13%
Home value$372,100+23%
Population9,431−92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PENNINGTON COUNTY VS
Meade County
Income$74,790same
Home value$310,900+3%
Population30,711−74%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PENNINGTON COUNTY VS
Oglala Lakota County
Income$41,417−44%
Home value$52,900−82%
Population13,338−89%
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PENNINGTON COUNTY VS
Lawrence County
Income$73,384−2%
Home value$346,500+15%
Population29,459−75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Pennington County, South Dakota?

Pennington County, South Dakota has about 113,512 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Pennington County, South Dakota earns about $74,517 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Pennington County, South Dakota expensive?

In Pennington County, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $302,200, and the typical rent is about $1,120 a month.

How educated are people in Pennington County, South Dakota?

About 34.6% of adults age 25 and over in Pennington County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 11.2% of people in Pennington County, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Pennington County, South Dakota grown since 1990?

Yes, Pennington County, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 32,169 residents, a change of about 40 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →