Roberts County, SD

County

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2024 Population

10,221

US Senator

John Thune

Republican Party

US Senator

Mike Rounds

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

38.5

1.58% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

15.7%

9.29% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$65,130

2.26% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$154,500

11.1% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

4,315

0.759% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Roberts County, 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.

99.3% of the residents in Roberts County, SD are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Roberts County, SD are Sisseton Wahpeton College (35 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Roberts County, SD was $154,500, and the homeownership rate was 71.2%.

Most people in Roberts County, SD drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 16.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Roberts County, SD was 2 cars per household.

Roberts County, SD borders Big Stone County, MN, Traverse County, MN, Richland County, ND, Sargent County, ND, Day County, SD, Grant County, SD, and Marshall County, SD.

United States South Dakota

Population & Diversity

Roberts County, SD is home to a population of 10.2k people, from which 99.3% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.15% of Roberts County, SD residents were born outside of the country (118 people).

In 2024, there were 1.64 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (5.77k people) in Roberts County, SD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 3.52k American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) and 477 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.3%

2024 Citizenship

99.4%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.3% of Roberts County, SD residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Roberts County, SD was 99.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Roberts County, SD

White (Non-Hispanic)
5.77k ± 28
American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
3.52k ± 136
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
477 ± 141

2.63%

Hispanic Population

269 people

2.63% of the people in Roberts County, SD are hispanic (269 people).

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

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,626 ± 1,475 people
Guatemala
2,932 ± 1,327 people
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.

Foreign-Born Population

1.15%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

118 people

0.753%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

77 people

As of 2024, 1.15% of Roberts County, SD residents (118 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 Roberts County, SD was 0.753%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
210 ± 55
Gulf War (2001-)
76 ± 26
Gulf War (1990s)
62 ± 30

Roberts County, SD has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.76 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Economy

The economy of Roberts County, SD employs 4.32k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Roberts County, SD were Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (563 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (543 people), and Educational Services (518 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($86,875), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($82,794), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($81,944).

Employment

Occupations

4.32k

2024 Value

± 276

−0.759%

1 Year decline

± 9.02%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Roberts County, SD declined at a rate of −0.759%, from 4.35k employees to 4.32k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Roberts County, SD, are Management Occupations (670 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (559 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (395 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Roberts County, SD.

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

4.32k

2024 Value

± 276

−0.759%

1 Year decline

± 9.02%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Roberts County, SD declined at a rate of −0.759%, from 4.35k employees to 4.32k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Roberts County, SD, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (563 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (543 people), and Educational Services (518 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Roberts County, SD, though some of these residents may live in Roberts County, SD and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,917

Median earning men ± $4,626

$37,451

Median earning women ± $4,984

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($85,694), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($72,500), and Wholesale Trade ($72,222).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($52,083), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,250), and Public Administration ($47,936).

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.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

27
Construction
21
Other Services (except Public Administration)
17
Retail Trade

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

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$19.1k
Manufacturing
$15k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$9.8k
Retail Trade

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

Education

In 2023, universities in Roberts County, SD awarded 35 degrees. The student population of Roberts County, SD in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 82 male students and 133 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Roberts County, SD are American Indian or Alaska Native (33 and 94.3%), Black or African American (1 and 2.86%), and White (1 and 2.86%).

The largest universities in Roberts County, SD by number of degrees awarded are Sisseton Wahpeton College (35 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Roberts County, SD are General Studies (13 and 37.1%), Native American Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics (7 and 20%), and General Business Administration & Management (4 and 11.4%).

The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $3,840 for in-state students and $3,840 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 215 students enrolled in Roberts County, SD, 38.1% men and 61.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in American Indian or Alaska Native with 198 records, of which 63.1% were women and 36.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Studies
13 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
4 degrees awarded
Native American Studies
2 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Roberts County, SD was General Studies with 13 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Sisseton Wahpeton College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

35 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Sisseton Wahpeton College with 35 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 15 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Roberts County, SD, which is 0.75 times less than the 20 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was American Indian or Alaska Native students. These 33 degrees mean that there were 33 times more degrees awarded to American Indian or Alaska Native students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 4-year or above ($3,840) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($490) 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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Roberts County, SD was $154,500 in 2024, which is 0.464 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $139,100 to $154,500, a 11.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Roberts County, SD is 71.2%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Roberts County, SD have an average commute time of 16.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Roberts County, SD is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 11.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Roberts County, SD. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.16%.

Housing

Property

$154,500

Median Property Value 2024

±$21,816

$2,580

Median Property Taxes

±$170

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 Roberts County, SD the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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

Rent vs Own

71.2%

Homeownership

2024

64.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 71.2% of the housing units in Roberts County, SD were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 69.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Roberts County, SD compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$65,130

Median Household Income

± $2,576

3.63k

Number of Households

± 218

In 2024, the median household income of the 3.63k households in Roberts County, SD grew to $65,130 from the previous year's value of $63,691.

The following chart displays the households in Roberts County, 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.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Roberts County, 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (75.3%)
Worked At Home (9.02%)
Carpooled (8.06%)

In 2024, 75.3% of workers in Roberts County, SD drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.02%) and those who carpooled to work (8.06%).

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.

Commute Time

16.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Roberts County, SD have a shorter commute time (16.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.02% of the workforce in Roberts County, SD have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Roberts County, SD compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 11.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Roberts County, SD. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.16%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

15.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Roberts County, SD (1.57k out of 9.98k 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 25 - 34, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Males 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Roberts County, SD is Native American, followed by White 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.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 19.9% of the children was living in poverty in Roberts County, SD. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 7.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 126 in Roberts County, SD. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 48.8 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

81.8% of the population of Roberts County, SD has health coverage, with 31.1% on employee plans, 19.9% on Medicaid, 14.8% on Medicare, 13% on non-group plans, and 3.09% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Roberts County, SD see 3,388 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (3,388 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 782 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 928 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.9% were men and 49.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

3,388 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Roberts County, SD

Primary care physicians in Roberts County, SD see an average of 3,388 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (3,388 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 29.7% under 18 years, 16.5% between 18 and 34 years, 33.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.9% were men and 49.1% were women.

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

Uninsured People

18.2%

Uninsured

31.1%

Employer Coverage

19.9%

Medicaid

14.8%

Medicare

13%

Non-Group

3.09%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Roberts County, SD declined by 8.61% from 19.9% to 18.2%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 138 in Roberts County, SD.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Roberts County, SD.

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 42.8% in Roberts County, SD.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Roberts County, SD.