Custer, SD

Census Place

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    2024 Population
    2,341
    US Senator
    John Thune
    Republican Party
    US Senator
    Mike Rounds
    Republican Party
    US Representative
    Dusty Johnson
    Republican Party
    2024 Median Age
    51.2
    6.74% 1-year decrease
    2024 Poverty Rate
    14.2%
    45% 1-year increase
    2024 Median Household Income
    $78,369
    2.27% 1-year decline
    2024 Median Property Value
    $235,600
    2.66% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    1,041
    7.32% 1-year growth

    About

    None of the households in Custer, 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.

    98.5% of the residents in Custer, SD are U.S. citizens.

    In 2024, the median property value in Custer, SD was $235,600, and the homeownership rate was 69.5%.

    Most people in Custer, SD drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Custer, SD was 2 cars per household.

    United StatesSouth DakotaCuster County, SDRapid City, SDWest South Dakota--Rapid City PUMA, SD

    Population & Diversity

    Custer, SD is home to a population of 2.34k people, from which 98.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.84% of Custer, SD residents were born outside of the country (43 people).

    In 2024, there were 16.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (2.02k people) in Custer, SD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 122 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 76 American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    98.5%
    2024 Citizenship
    98.4%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 98.5% of Custer, SD residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Custer, SD was 98.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

    The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Custer, 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 Custer, SD
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      2.02k ± 288
    2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
      122 ± 83
    3. American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
      76 ± 79
    2.22%
    Hispanic Population
    52 people

    In 2024, there were 16.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (2.02k people) in Custer, SD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 122 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 76 American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    2.22% of the people in Custer, SD are hispanic (52 people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Custer, 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
      3,429 ± 1,435 people
    2. Guatemala
      2,883 ± 1,316 people
    3. Ethiopia
      2,826 ± 1,303 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Dakota was Mexico, the natal country of 3,429 South Dakota residents, followed by Guatemala with 2,883 and Ethiopia with 2,826.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    1.84%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    43 people
    2.56%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    55 people

    As of 2024, 1.84% of Custer, SD residents (43 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 Custer, SD was 2.56%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      91 ± 44
    2. Gulf War (1990s)
      20 ± 26
    3. Korea
      14 ± 29

    Custer, SD has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 4.55 times greater than any other conflict.

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

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    Health

    88.3% of the population of Custer, SD has health coverage, with 33.5% on employee plans, 9.65% on Medicaid, 20.7% on Medicare, 23.2% on non-group plans, and 1.2% 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, 44.6% were men and 55.4% were women.

    Coverage

    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 14% under 18 years, 23.1% between 18 and 34 years, 30.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 32% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 44.6% were men and 55.4% were women.

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

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    Uninsured People

    11.7%
    Uninsured
    33.5%
    Employer Coverage
    9.65%
    Medicaid
    20.7%
    Medicare
    23.2%
    Non-Group
    1.2%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Custer, SD grew by 43.3% from 8.2% to 11.7%.

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

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    Economy

    The economy of Custer, SD employs 1.04k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Custer, SD were Health Care & Social Assistance (174 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (125 people), and Construction (111 people), and the highest paying industries were Manufacturing ($105,583), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($100,880), and Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation ($85,509).

    Employment

    Occupations

    1.04k
    2024 Value
    ± 216
    7.32%
    1 Year growth
    ± 26.7%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Custer, SD grew at a rate of 7.32%, from 970 employees to 1.04k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Custer, SD, are Management Occupations (138 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (115 people), and Installation, Maintenance, & Repair Occupations (90 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Custer, 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

    1.04k
    2024 Value
    ± 216
    7.32%
    1 Year growth
    ± 26.7%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Custer, SD grew at a rate of 7.32%, from 970 employees to 1.04k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Custer, SD, are Health Care & Social Assistance (174 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (125 people), and Construction (111 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Custer, SD, though some of these residents may live in Custer, 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

    $66,731
    Median earning men ± $23,526
    $34,879
    Median earning women ± $9,191

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Manufacturing ($105,583), Other Services Except Public Administration ($86,250), and Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation, & Accommodations & Food Services ($85,556).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($100,556), Retail Trade ($55,000), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($45,074).

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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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    Civics

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in South Dakota went to Donald J. Trump with 63.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.2%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.68%).

    John Thune and Mike Rounds are the senators currently representing the state of South Dakota. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    Custer, SD is currently represented by Dusty Johnson in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

    Presidential Elections

    Voting results are not available for Custer, SD. Showing the available data for South Dakota.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Donald J. Trump (63.4%)
      Republican Party
    2. Kamala Harris (34.2%)
      Democratic Party
    3. Robert Kennedy (1.68%)
      Independent Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in South Dakota went to Donald J. Trump with 63.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (34.2%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.68%).

    The following chart shows the popular vote results in South Dakota for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from South Dakota

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.
    John Thune
    Senator from South Dakota3
    Assumed office on January 3, 2005
    Mike Rounds
    Senator from South Dakota2
    Assumed office on January 3, 2015

    John Thune and Mike Rounds are the senators currently representing South Dakota.

    In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    The following chart shows elected senators in South Dakota over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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    US Representative Elections

    US Representatives from Custer, SD

    Dusty Johnson
    District at-large Representative
    Republican Party

    Custer, SD is currently represented by Dusty Johnson (Republican Party).

    Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the member for Custer, SD have changed over time starting in 2008.

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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Custer, SD was $235,600 in 2024, which is 0.708 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $229,500 to $235,600, a 2.66% increase. The homeownership rate in Custer, SD is 69.5%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Custer, SD have an average commute time of 18.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Custer, SD is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    Housing

    Property

    $235,600
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$39,643
    $813
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$174

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

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

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    Rent vs Own

    69.5%
    Homeownership
    2024
    61%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 69.5% of the housing units in Custer, SD were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 66%.

    This chart shows the percentage of owner in Custer, 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.
    $78,369
    Median Household Income
    ± $11,105
    1.17k
    Number of Households
    ± 212

    In 2024, the median household income of the 1.17k households in Custer, SD declined from $78,369 from the previous year's value of $80,188.

    The following chart displays the households in Custer, 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 Custer, SD is from South Dakota.
    0.44
    2024 Wage GINI in South Dakota
    0.443
    2023 Wage GINI in South Dakota

    In 2024, the income inequality in South Dakota was 0.44 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.642% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Dakota was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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 (81.8%)
    2. Worked At Home (8.1%)
    3. Carpooled (7.02%)

    In 2024, 81.8% of workers in Custer, SD drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (8.1%) and those who carpooled to work (7.02%).

    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

    18.7 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Custer, SD have a shorter commute time (18.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.23% of the workforce in Custer, SD have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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    Poverty

    Poverty & Diversity

    14.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Custer, SD (318 out of 2.24k 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 65 - 74, followed by Males 65 - 74 and then Males 35 - 44.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Custer, SD 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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