The median household income in South Dakota is $75,081, which ranks in the top 53% nationally.
Top income thresholds in South Dakota
South Dakota ranks #31 of 51 states (and D.C.) by median household income.
States with a similar income level
This state's median household income
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Median income · Single households
This section digs into South Dakota's income figures — the $75,081 median, the thresholds for the top of the distribution, earnings by age, and the gap between its richest and poorest counties.
The median household in South Dakota brings in $75,081, 7% below the US median of $80,734 — 31st of 51. Keep in mind the numbers aren't price-adjusted, so they compare incomes, not purchasing power.
Reaching the top quarter of households takes about $122,768 in South Dakota, compared with $141,925 nationally. Households earning over $200,000 make up 8% of the state, compared with a 13% national share.
The latest one-year estimate (2024) is $76,881, +2% relative to the pooled 2020–2024 median of $75,081.
The share of South Dakota households at $200,000 or more is about 8%. By household income, the top 25% start at about $122,768, and the top 10% at about $183,992. The table marks lines that fall above $200,000 rather than guessing their value: the Census groups everyone above that amount together, so the exact top-5% and top-1% cutoffs can't be read from this data.
Move a typical American household ($80,734 a year) to South Dakota and it would sit near the top 46% of local households.
The top-quarter line is 1.64 times the state's midpoint income, narrower than the national ratio of 1.77 — a rough gauge of how stretched the upper half of the income distribution is.
| Line | Household income |
|---|---|
| Median (top 50%) | $75,063 |
| Top 25% | $122,768 |
| Top 10% | $183,992 |
| Top 5% | Above $200,000 (top bracket) |
| Top 1% | Above $200,000 (top bracket) |
For individual workers, median earnings in South Dakota rise from $44,688 at ages 25–34 to a peak of $57,869 at 45–54 (+29%). Across age groups, South Dakota averages −10% against the national medians; the widest gap is at 65+ ($26,701 versus $34,745 nationally). These figures are personal earnings (wages plus self-employment) from Census microdata, so they're lower than household income, which can combine several earners.
| Age | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 25–34 | $44,688 | $46,177 |
| 35–44 | $52,503 | $58,657 |
| 45–54 | $57,869 | $60,915 |
| 55–64 | $50,944 | $55,860 |
| 65+ | $26,701 | $34,745 |
Household type matters as much as location. Married-couple households in South Dakota have a median income of $109,302, 2.4 times the $45,364 for single-person and other non-family households — often two incomes against one.
Lincoln County ($99,166) and Jackson County ($35,417) mark the two ends of a wide county range, 2.8 to 1. The five highest-income counties are Lincoln County, Union County, Stanley County, Hamlin County, and Douglas County; the five lowest are Jackson County, Oglala Lakota County, Todd County, Corson County, and Buffalo County.
11 of the 66 counties (17%) clear the US median of $80,734; the typical county, Sully County, comes in at $72,578.
| Highest | Median | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | $99,166 | Jackson County | $35,417 |
| Union County | $89,636 | Oglala Lakota County | $41,417 |
| Stanley County | $87,712 | Todd County | $42,075 |
| Hamlin County | $87,101 | Corson County | $46,406 |
| Douglas County | $86,442 | Buffalo County | $47,045 |
The household medians and thresholds use the 2020–2024 ACS five-year estimates; the age table is built from 21,233 South Dakota survey records of people 25 and older with earnings.
Reference statistics only — not financial advice.
US Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates (B19013, B19001)
Based on US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates — actual figures may differ from your real income/assets. Not financial advice.