South Dakota

State

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2024 Population
907,428
US Senator
John Thune
Republican Party
US Senator
Mike Rounds
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
38
0.796% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
11.9%
0.691% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$75,081
3.67% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$257,400
8.7% 1-year growth
2023 Employed Population
425,954
0.841% 1-year growth

About

7.11% of the households in South Dakota reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.7% of the residents in South Dakota are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in South Dakota are South Dakota State University (2,530 degrees awarded in 2023), University of South Dakota (2,178 degrees), and Lake Area Technical College (939 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in South Dakota was $257,400, and the homeownership rate was 68.6%.

Most people in South Dakota drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.8 minutes. The average car ownership in South Dakota was 2 cars per household.

South Dakota borders Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming.

About the photo: An old school no longer in operation, at the junction of SD Highways 26 & 45, north of Miller, SD
Photo by Keith Ewing
United States

Population & Diversity

South Dakota is home to a population of 907k people, from which 97.7% are citizens. As of 2024, 3.91% of South Dakota residents were born outside of the country (35.5k people).

In 2024, there were 11.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (724k people) in South Dakota than any other race or ethnicity. There were 64.7k American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) and 32.6k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common non-English languages spoken as the primary language in households in South Dakota are Spanish (22,332 households), Other Native Languages of North America (9,521 households), and German (6,258 households).

Population & Diversity

Population by Location

Sex *(USED)
RACE/ETHNICITY
The 3 PUMAS with the highest resident population
  1. West South Dakota--Rapid City PUMA, SD
    192,450
  2. Sioux Falls City PUMA, SD
    192,422
  3. Southeast South Dakota (Outside Sioux Falls City) PUMA, SD
    146,190

In 2023 there were 899,194 residents in South Dakota.

The Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA) with the highest resident population were West South Dakota--Rapid City PUMA, SD (192,450 people), Sioux Falls City PUMA, SD (192,422 people), and Southeast South Dakota (Outside Sioux Falls City) PUMA, SD (146,190 people).

The following map shows all of the states in South Dakota colored by the resident population.

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Residents by Gender and Age

RACE/ETHNICITY
443,730
Women
49.3%
455,464
Men
50.7%

The resident population of United States in 2023 was 899,194 inhabitants, with 50.7% men, and 49.3% women.

The visualization shows the distribution of the residents by gender and age in South Dakota.

With the upper buttons you can add a filter by race.

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Citizenship

97.7%
2024 Citizenship
97.8%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.7% of South Dakota residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in South Dakota was 97.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in South Dakota compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in South Dakota
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    724k ± 1.03k
  2. American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
    64.7k ± 1.21k
  3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    32.6k ± 1.81k
4.82%
Hispanic Population
43.8k people

In 2024, there were 11.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (724k people) in South Dakota than any other race or ethnicity. There were 64.7k American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) and 32.6k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

4.82% of the people in South Dakota are hispanic (43.8k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in South Dakota as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    3,626 ± 1,475 people
  2. Guatemala
    2,932 ± 1,327 people
  3. Ethiopia
    2,627 ± 1,257 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Dakota was Mexico, the natal country of 3,626 South Dakota residents, followed by Guatemala with 2,932 and Ethiopia with 2,627.

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Foreign-Born Population

3.91%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
35.5k people
3.86%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
34.7k people

As of 2024, 3.91% of South Dakota residents (35.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in South Dakota was 3.86%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in South Dakota compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Non-English Households

Most Common Non-English Languages
  1. Spanish
    22,332 households (2.63%)
  2. Other Native Languages of North America
    9,521 households (1.12%)
  3. German
    6,258 households (0.736%)

7.11% of the households in South Dakota reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language, which is lower than the national average of 22.3%. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

In 2024, the most common non-English language spoken in households in South Dakota was Spanish. 2.63% of the households in South Dakota reported speaking Spanish at home as the primary shared language between all members living in the household.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    17,343 ± 857
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    14,568 ± 962
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    8,139 ± 688

South Dakota has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.19 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in South Dakota.

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Economy

The economy of South Dakota employs 426k people. In 2023, the largest industries in South Dakota were Elementary & secondary schools (29,672 people), Construction (29,242 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (28,967 people), and the highest paying industries were Data processing, hosting & related services ($154,558), Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($132,352), and Offices of physicians ($132,091).

Males in South Dakota have an average income that is 1.29 times higher than the average income of females, which is $55,998. The income inequality in South Dakota (measured using the Gini index) is 0.443, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Workforce Diversity

Measure
RACE/ETHNICITY
204,832
Women
48.1%
221,122
Men
51.9%

The workforce of South Dakota in 2023 was 425,954 people, with 48.1% woman, and 51.9% men.

The visualization shows the distribution of the workforce by gender and age in South Dakota.

With the upper buttons you can see the distribution of the average salary and add a filter by race.

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Workforce and Wage by Location

Measure
RACE/ETHNICITY

In 2023 there were 425,954 people working in South Dakota. The Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA) that concentrated the largest workforce were Sioux Falls City PUMA, SD (104,222 people), West South Dakota--Rapid City PUMA, SD (92,855 people), and Southeast South Dakota (Outside Sioux Falls City) PUMA, SD (74,024 people).

The following map shows all of the PUMAs in South Dakota colored by workforce or average wage.

With the upper buttons you can see the yearly change and add a filter by race.

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Occupations

426k
2023 Value
0.841%
1 Year growth
± 0.841%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in South Dakota grew at a rate of 0.841%, from 422k employees to 426k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in South Dakota, are Registered nurses (13,851 people), Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (11,721 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (9,431 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of South Dakota.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Dakota (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

426k
2023 Value
0.841%
1 Year growth
± 0.841%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in South Dakota grew at a rate of 0.841%, from 422k employees to 426k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in South Dakota, are Elementary & secondary schools (29,672 people), Construction (29,242 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (28,967 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of South Dakota, though some of these residents may live in South Dakota and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$53,173
Median earning men ± $694
$40,409
Median earning women ± $454

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($73,715), Information ($66,850), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($64,466).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($53,260), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($50,404), and Wholesale Trade ($47,243).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.
Y-Axis
2.37%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 450k people employed in South Dakota. This represents a 2.37% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 8.96%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Dakota.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 2,542
    Construction
  2. 1,939
    Other Services (except Public Administration)
  3. 1,513
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $4.66M
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  2. $2.69M
    Manufacturing
  3. $1.99M
    Finance and Insurance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from South Dakota to other states, or from other states to South Dakota.
Top Domestic Production in Dollars
  1. Cereal grains
    $7.99B
  2. Other ag prods.
    $5.86B
  3. Live animals/fish
    $5.5B

In 2024, the top outbound South Dakota product (by dollars) was Cereal grains with $7.99B, followed by Other ag prods. ($5.86B) and Live animals/fish ($5.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound South Dakota products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for South Dakota.
$54.9B
2024 Value in South Dakota
$98.1B
Projected 2050 Value in South Dakota
78.9% growth

In 2024, total outbound South Dakota trade was $54.9B. This is expected to increase 78.9% to $98.1B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound South Dakota trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from South Dakota to other states, or from other states to South Dakota.
Most Common Trade Partners
  1. Minnesota
    $6.51B
  2. Iowa
    $3.1B
  3. North Dakota
    $2.27B

In 2024, the top outbound South Dakota domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Minnesota with $6.51B, followed by Iowa with $3.1B and North Dakota and $2.27B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that South Dakota shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Education

In 2023, universities in South Dakota awarded 12,531 degrees. The student population of South Dakota in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 23,491 male students and 28,635 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in South Dakota are White (10,033 and 83%), American Indian or Alaska Native (476 and 3.94%), Hispanic or Latino (437 and 3.62%), and Black or African American (362 and 3%).

The largest universities in South Dakota by number of degrees awarded are South Dakota State University (2,530 and 20.2%), University of South Dakota (2,178 and 17.4%), and Lake Area Technical College (939 and 7.49%).

The most popular majors in South Dakota are Registered Nursing (826 and 6.59%), General Business Administration & Management (752 and 6%), and General Psychology (305 and 2.43%).

The median tuition costs in South Dakota are $25,295 for private four year colleges, and $7,616 and $10,718 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in South Dakota, the percentage of applicants admitted was 86.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 30.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 52,126 (45.1% men and 54.9% women).

The map shows the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

The line chart below shows the annual evolution of the indicator by gender.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 52,126 students enrolled in South Dakota, 45.1% men and 54.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 39,517 records, of which 55.4% were women and 44.6% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Psychology
    284 degrees awarded
  2. Registered Nursing
    643 degrees awarded
  3. General Business Administration & Management
    389 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in South Dakota was General Psychology with 284 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in South Dakota according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. South Dakota State University
    2,530 degrees awarded
  2. University of South Dakota
    2,178 degrees awarded
  3. Lake Area Technical College
    939 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was South Dakota State University with 2,530 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 5,598 men were awarded degrees from institutions in South Dakota, which is 0.807 times less than the 6,933 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 10,033 degrees mean that there were 21.1 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, American Indian or Alaska Native, with 476 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($25,295) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($3,681) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,530) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Measure

In 2023, 0.64% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.58% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

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Educational Attainment

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population of South Dakota in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (205k), Some college (147k), and Bachelors Degree (137k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in South Dakota was $257,400 in 2024, which is 0.774 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $236,800 to $257,400, a 8.7% increase. The homeownership rate in South Dakota is 68.6%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in South Dakota have an average commute time of 17.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in South Dakota is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 11.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in South Dakota. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.465%.

Housing

Property

$257,400
Median Property Value 2024
±$3,051
$250,621
Median Property Taxes
±$3,058

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In South Dakota the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in South Dakota compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

68.6%
Homeownership
2024
65.8%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 68.6% of the housing units in South Dakota were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 68.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in South Dakota compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$75,081
Median Household Income
± $888
366k
Number of Households
± 4,280

In 2024, the median household income of the 366k households in South Dakota grew to $75,081 from the previous year's value of $72,421.

The following chart displays the households in South Dakota distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

0.443
2023 Wage GINI in South Dakota
0.438
2022 Wage GINI in South Dakota

In 2023, the income inequality in South Dakota was 0.443 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.14% growth from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for South Dakota was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Dakota in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Dakota across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (77%)
  2. Worked At Home (9.7%)
  3. Carpooled (8.33%)

In 2024, 77% of workers in South Dakota drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.7%) and those who carpooled to work (8.33%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

17.8 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in South Dakota have a shorter commute time (17.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.58% of the workforce in South Dakota have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in South Dakota compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in South Dakota distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in South Dakota have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 11.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in South Dakota. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.465%.

The map show the severe housing problems rate in the counties of California. The graph underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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Poverty & Diversity

11.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in South Dakota (105k out of 878k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in South Dakota is White, followed by Native American and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Children in Poverty

In 2025, 13.5% of the children was living in poverty in South Dakota. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 5%.

The map show the children in poverty rate in the counties of California. The graph underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the percentage of children in poverty.

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 373 in South Dakota. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 136 per 100,000 population.

The following map shows the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

The graph underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the indicator in South Dakota.

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Health

91% of the population of South Dakota has health coverage, with 49.7% on employee plans, 10.6% on Medicaid, 13% on Medicare, 15.1% on non-group plans, and 2.67% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in South Dakota see 1,252 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,252 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1561 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 409 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.5% were men and 49.5% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,252 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in South Dakota

Primary care physicians in South Dakota see an average of 1,252 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,252 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in South Dakota in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26% under 18 years, 20.3% between 18 and 34 years, 36.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.5% were men and 49.5% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

9.01%
Uninsured
49.7%
Employer Coverage
10.6%
Medicaid
13%
Medicare
15.1%
Non-Group
2.67%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in South Dakota declined by 2.9% from 9.27% to 9.01%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in South Dakota changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 67.8 in South Dakota.

The  map shows the distribution of the indicator in the counties of South Dakota and the graphic underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the indicator in South Dakota.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 37.2% in South Dakota.

The  map shows the distribution of the indicator in the counties of South Dakota and the graphic underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the indicator in South Dakota.

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 10% in South Dakota.

The  map shows the distribution of the indicator in the counties of South Dakota and the graphic underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the indicator in South Dakota.

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