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COUNTY · 2010 ACS

Pennington County

South Dakota · 100,948 residents · 2,777 sq mi
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Pennington County is a county of 100,948 people in South Dakota. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. Getting to work takes 18 minutes on average. The typical home is worth $149,700, having risen by half since 2000. 12,383 more people live here than in 2000. Households take in $46,849 at the median, 11% less than the US figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 36.8
US median: 37.2
Average education
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 41%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
100,948
+14%since 2000
from 88,565 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
36.8
+5%since 2000
from 35.0 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
2,777 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
78K88K97K107K117K19902000201020202024Pennington County
2024114K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 57.3%(7,361)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.8%(6,848)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.6%(6,661)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.5%(6,575)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247%(7,026)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3413.8%(13,933)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4411.6%(11,730)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5414.6%(14,704)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6412.4%(12,493)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 747.1%(7,141)
US avg: 7%
75 to 844.6%(4,602)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.9%(1,874)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$46,849
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,485 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,894
+37%since 2000
from $18,938 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
26.4%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
14.0%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 11.5% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.454
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Information12.9%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade8.2%
US avg: 7.2%
Other services6.8%
US avg: 7%
Retail trade6.6%
US avg: 10.9%
Public administration4.9%
US avg: 4.9%
Finance & insurance4.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical2.9%
US avg: 4.2%
Arts, entertainment, food2.8%
US avg: 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing2.6%
US avg: 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction1.9%
US avg: 1.4%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.5%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$149,700
+41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,800 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$671
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $497 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
64.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 66.2% in 2000
35.1% rent
Vacancy rate
9.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.38 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.46 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
26.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
42.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 41.6% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
3.2
+3%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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic85.6%(75,797)
Black0.8%(722)
Hispanic / Latino2.6%(2,341)
Asian0.9%(763)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic81.7%(82,438)
Black1%(1,013)
Hispanic / Latino4%(4,044)
Asian1%(1,041)
Other11.4%(11,505)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3%(2,965)
Puerto Rican0.3%(322)
Bolivian0.1%(128)
Spaniard0.1%(89)
Colombian0%(35)
Cuban0%(15)
Chilean0%(10)
Ancestry
German38%(37,257)
Irish14.3%(14,038)
Norwegian11%(10,796)
English10.2%(9,967)
French3.8%(3,718)
Swedish3.8%(3,678)
American3.6%(3,500)
Dutch3.4%(3,298)
Polish2.4%(2,369)
Italian2.3%(2,204)
Scottish2.2%(2,153)
Scotch-Irish2.1%(2,070)
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data
Czech1.8%(1,751)
Danish1.5%(1,515)
Russian1.3%(1,319)
Welsh0.6%(590)
Finnish0.6%(559)
British0.3%(289)
Swiss0.3%(274)
Austrian0.3%(255)
Greek0.3%(250)
Portuguese0.2%(195)
Ukrainian0.2%(155)
Lithuanian0.2%(154)
Hungarian0.2%(152)
Arab0.1%(139)
Belgian0.1%(116)
Croatian0.1%(110)
Lebanese0.1%(84)
Slovak0.1%(78)
Bulgarian0.1%(51)
Romanian0.1%(50)
Canadian0.1%(49)
Armenian0%(24)
Syrian0%(20)
Iranian0%(15)
Jamaican0%(15)
Serbian0%(5)
Turkish0%(2)
Kenyan0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
27.8%
+2.8 ptssince 2000
from 25.0% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
91.4%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 87.8% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
9.6%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 8.0% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.6 min
+61%since 2000
from 10.9 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
80.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 80.4% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
10.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
0.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
4.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
2.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
4.5%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
11.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
35.1%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 33.5% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.6%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
Female
50.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
Foreign born
2.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
16.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
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

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

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
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Income$84,112+80%
Home value$372,100+149%
Population9,431−92%
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PENNINGTON COUNTY VS
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Income$74,790+60%
Home value$310,900+108%
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PENNINGTON COUNTY VS
Oglala Lakota County
Income$41,417−12%
Home value$52,900−65%
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PENNINGTON COUNTY VS
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Income$73,384+57%
Home value$346,500+131%
Population29,459−75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Pennington County, South Dakota?

Pennington County, South Dakota has about 100,948 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Pennington County, South Dakota earns about $46,849 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 $149,700, and the typical rent is about $671 a month.

How educated are people in Pennington County, South Dakota?

About 27.8% 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 14.0% 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 19,605 residents, a change of about 24 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 →