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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Potter County

South Dakota · 2,472 residents · 861 sq mi
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The short version

Potter County is home to 2,472 people in South Dakota. The median age is 52.2, about 13 years above the US median. Getting to work takes 12 minutes on average. The typical home is worth $106,000, having more than doubled since 2000. 74% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 2%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 52.2
US median: 38.8
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 62%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

2,472
−8%since 2000
from 2,693 in 2000
1990 – 2025
52.2
+14%since 2000
from 45.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
861 sq mi
Population, 19902024
2K2K3K3K3K19902000201020202024Potter County
20242K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.1%(101)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.2%(129)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.5%(161)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.2%(128)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.2%(79)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 348.5%(209)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4410.3%(254)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 549.8%(242)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6416.6%(410)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7416.9%(419)
US avg: 10%
75 to 849.2%(227)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over4.6%(113)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$57,120
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,086 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$30,845
+77%since 2000
from $17,417 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
33.0%
+16.6 ptssince 2009
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
8.2%
−4.4 ptssince 2000
from 12.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing23.8%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction23.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Information12.6%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services6.6%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration6.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Wholesale trade6%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.8%
US avg: 5.5%
Transportation & warehousing4.3%
US avg: 2.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Retail trade2.6%
US avg: 10%
Arts, entertainment, food2.4%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$106,000
+62%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,500 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$592
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $318 in 2000
US average: $1,124
74.4%
−5.1 ptssince 2000
from 79.5% in 2000
25.6% rent
2.23 people
+9%since 2009
from 2.04 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
1.9
+32%since 2009
from 1.4 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-Hispanic98%(2,640)
Black0%(0)
Hispanic / Latino0.2%(5)
Asian0.2%(5)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic93.6%(2,314)
Black0.2%(6)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(39)
Asian0.6%(14)
Other4.8%(119)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Colombian1.3%(29)
Asian origin
Filipino1%(23)
Korean0.4%(9)
Ancestry
German45.1%(1,042)
Norwegian8.4%(195)
Irish8.1%(187)
English6.3%(146)
American4%(93)
Russian3.5%(81)
Czech2.3%(54)
French2.1%(49)
Dutch1.9%(44)
Swedish1.9%(43)
Danish1.4%(33)
Welsh1.3%(30)
+ 8 more ancestry groups with data
Italian0.7%(17)
Polish0.6%(13)
Hungarian0.4%(9)
Greek0.3%(7)
Ukrainian0.3%(6)
Section 05

Education

23.5%
+7.3 ptssince 2000
from 16.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
94.1%
+13.3 ptssince 2000
from 80.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
6.6%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

12.3 min
−5%since 2000
from 13.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
79.5%
+8.4 ptssince 2009
from 71.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
0.4%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

1.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2011
from 0.8% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
60.3%
−2.8 ptssince 2011
from 63.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
75.9%
US average: 73.3%
33.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 34.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

49.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 48.5% in 2009
50.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 51.5% in 2009
2.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
6.4%
−1.0 ptssince 2013
from 7.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
89.2%
US average: 91.9%
96.2%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married22.5%(210)
Married64.8%(606)
Widowed2.4%(22)
Divorced10.4%(97)
Women 15+
Never married22.1%(229)
Married51.5%(534)
Widowed18.4%(191)
Divorced7.9%(82)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

6.4%
−1.0 ptssince 2013
from 7.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
47.7%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
34.5%
US average: 13.7%
26.9%
US average: 17.6%
11.0%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
5.8%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
78.0%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
37.8%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)11.2%(21)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)6.9%(13)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era39.4%(74)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War22.9%(43)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.7%(5)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 188 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Potter County, South Dakota?

Potter County, South Dakota has about 2,472 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Potter County, South Dakota earns about $57,120 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Potter County, South Dakota expensive?

In Potter County, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $106,000, and the typical rent is about $592 a month.

How educated are people in Potter County, South Dakota?

About 23.5% of adults age 25 and over in Potter County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 8.2% of people in Potter County, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Potter County, South Dakota grown since 1990?

Yes, Potter County, South Dakota has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 718 residents, a change of about -23 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 →