Spearfish, SD

Census Place

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2024 Population
12,930
US Senator
John Thune
Republican Party
US Senator
Mike Rounds
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
40
7.53% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
15.2%
0.174% 1-year increase
2024 Median Household Income
$65,688
9.97% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$346,200
12% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
6,868
2.95% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Spearfish, SD 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.

99.1% of the residents in Spearfish, SD are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Spearfish, SD are Black Hills State University (521 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Spearfish, SD was $346,200, and the homeownership rate was 49.6%.

Most people in Spearfish, SD drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 16.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Spearfish, SD was 2 cars per household.

United StatesSouth DakotaLawrence County, SDSpearfish, SDWest South Dakota--Rapid City PUMA, SD

Population & Diversity

Spearfish, SD is home to a population of 12.9k people, from which 99.1% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.63% of Spearfish, SD residents were born outside of the country (340 people).

In 2024, there were 25.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (11.3k people) in Spearfish, SD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 447 American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) and 413 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.1%
2024 Citizenship
99.2%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.1% of Spearfish, SD residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Spearfish, SD was 99.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Spearfish, SD
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    11.3k ± 293
  2. American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
    447 ± 155
  3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    413 ± 180
3.87%
Hispanic Population
500 people

In 2024, there were 25.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (11.3k people) in Spearfish, SD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 447 American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) and 413 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

3.87% of the people in Spearfish, SD are hispanic (500 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Spearfish, SD as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for South Dakota.
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

2.63%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
340 people
1.94%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
244 people

As of 2024, 2.63% of Spearfish, SD residents (340 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 Spearfish, SD was 1.94%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Gulf War (2001-)
    346 ± 145
  2. Gulf War (1990s)
    241 ± 123
  3. Vietnam
    165 ± 84

Spearfish, SD has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.44 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Spearfish, SD.

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Economy

The economy of Spearfish, SD employs 6.87k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Spearfish, SD were Retail Trade (1,114 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,001 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (931 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($101,442), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($91,410), and Wholesale Trade ($79,076).

Employment

Occupations

6.87k
2024 Value
± 671
2.95%
1 Year growth
± 13.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Spearfish, SD grew at a rate of 2.95%, from 6.67k employees to 6.87k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Spearfish, SD, are Sales & Related Occupations (903 people), Management Occupations (876 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (569 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Spearfish, SD.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.

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

6.87k
2024 Value
± 671
2.95%
1 Year growth
± 13.7%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Spearfish, SD grew at a rate of 2.95%, from 6.67k employees to 6.87k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Spearfish, SD, are Retail Trade (1,114 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,001 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (931 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Spearfish, SD, though some of these residents may live in Spearfish, SD and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$50,044
Median earning men ± $12,671
$34,134
Median earning women ± $8,128

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($91,731), Wholesale Trade ($79,076), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($72,742).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Manufacturing ($70,636), Information ($50,417), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($49,896).

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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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Education

In 2023, universities in Spearfish, SD awarded 521 degrees. The student population of Spearfish, SD in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 1,259 male students and 2,216 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Spearfish, SD are White (446 and 86.4%), Two or More Races (21 and 4.07%), Hispanic or Latino (19 and 3.68%), and American Indian or Alaska Native (15 and 2.91%).

The largest universities in Spearfish, SD by number of degrees awarded are Black Hills State University (521 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Spearfish, SD are General Business Administration & Management (93 and 17.9%), General Biological Sciences (48 and 9.21%), and Elementary Education & Teaching (38 and 7.29%).

The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $7,616 for in-state students and $10,718 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Spearfish, SD, the percentage of applicants admitted was 94.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 32%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 3,475 (36.2% men and 63.8% women).

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

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 3,475 students enrolled in Spearfish, SD, 36.2% men and 63.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,700 records, of which 64.2% were women and 35.8% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Business Administration & Management
    82 degrees awarded
  2. Elementary Education & Teaching
    38 degrees awarded
  3. General Biological Sciences
    27 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Spearfish, SD was General Business Administration & Management with 82 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Gender
Race
Black Hills State University
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
521 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Black Hills State University with 521 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 154 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Spearfish, SD, which is 0.42 times less than the 367 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 446 degrees mean that there were 21.2 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Two or More Races, with 21 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

Public, 4-year or above ($7,616) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,300) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,200) 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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Housing & Living

The median property value in Spearfish, SD was $346,200 in 2024, which is 1.04 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $309,200 to $346,200, a 12% increase. The homeownership rate in Spearfish, SD is 49.6%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Spearfish, SD have an average commute time of 16.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Spearfish, SD is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$346,200
Median Property Value 2024
±$21,481
$2,945
Median Property Taxes
±$357

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 Spearfish, SD the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Spearfish, SD compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

49.6%
Homeownership
2024
68.4%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 49.6% of the housing units in Spearfish, SD were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 48.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Spearfish, SD 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.
$65,688
Median Household Income
± $12,528
5.93k
Number of Households
± 659

In 2024, the median household income of the 5.93k households in Spearfish, SD grew to $65,688 from the previous year's value of $59,731.

The following chart displays the households in Spearfish, SD 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

The closest comparable wage GINI for Spearfish, SD is from South Dakota.
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 (76.6%)
  2. Carpooled (7.73%)
  3. Walked (7.27%)

In 2024, 76.6% of workers in Spearfish, SD drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.73%) and those who walked to work (7.27%).

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

16.3 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Spearfish, SD have a shorter commute time (16.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.26% of the workforce in Spearfish, SD have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Spearfish, SD 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 Spearfish, SD distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Spearfish, SD have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

15.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Spearfish, SD (1.86k out of 12.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher 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 Spearfish, SD is White, followed by Native American and Hispanic.

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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Health

91.6% of the population of Spearfish, SD has health coverage, with 43% on employee plans, 8.3% on Medicaid, 15.9% on Medicare, 20.9% on non-group plans, and 3.41% 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, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.7% under 18 years, 24.8% between 18 and 34 years, 34.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 20% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

8.42%
Uninsured
43%
Employer Coverage
8.3%
Medicaid
15.9%
Medicare
20.9%
Non-Group
3.41%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Spearfish, SD declined by 9.41% from 9.3% to 8.42%.

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

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