Population 2,642 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Aurora County
Household size in Aurora County
| Period | Aurora County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.38 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.20 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.41 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Aurora County run small, averaging 2.41 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. The picture is much the same across South Dakota. Household size has dropped from 2.56 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Aurora County
| Period | Aurora County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.5 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.2 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.0 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.2 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.7 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
At 41.2, the median age in Aurora County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in South Dakota as a whole, where the median age is 38.9.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Aurora County
| Period | Aurora County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Aurora County: 8.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Aurora County
Renters in Aurora County
| Period | Aurora County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.1% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.9% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.7% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.3% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Aurora County rent their homes (27.3%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Nearly two-thirds of owners (63.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Aurora County
| Period | Aurora County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Aurora County: 15.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Aurora County
| Period | Aurora County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1950 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +17 | +9 | +6 |
The housing in Aurora County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1962, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Aurora County has older homes than at least four in five South Dakota counties.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Aurora County
| Period | Aurora County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $497 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $600 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $572 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $772 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$275 | +$369 | +$606 |
The median renter in Aurora County pays $772 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 21.0% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Aurora County
Bachelor's degrees in Aurora County
| Period | Aurora County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.9% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.6% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.7% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Aurora County: 21.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Compared with other South Dakota counties, Aurora County has a lower share of college graduates than most.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Aurora County
| Period | Aurora County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.0% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.3% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.9% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.0% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Aurora County is a bit above the national rate: 92.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. South Dakota as a whole looks much the same.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Aurora County
| Period | Aurora County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.1% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 1.4% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.4% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.2% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Aurora County has been strong: just 1.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Aurora County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora County | 2.41 | 41.2 | 8.3% | 27.3% | 15.4% | 1962 | $772 | 21.7% | 92.0% | 1.2% |
| Davison County | 2.22 | 41.7 | 10.0% | 38.5% | 9.2% | 1971 | $836 | 22.3% | 91.0% | 0.9% |
| Brule County | 2.58 | 41.8 | 10.0% | 23.6% | 15.6% | 1969 | $902 | 29.2% | 90.8% | 1.7% |
| Hanson County | 3.02 | 37.8 | 4.2% | 10.6% | 12.1% | 1959 | $848 | 22.7% | 93.3% | 1.8% |
| McCook County | 2.51 | 39.4 | 6.4% | 20.5% | 11.5% | 1968 | $1,021 | 30.3% | 94.5% | 1.9% |
| Minnehaha County | 2.40 | 37.0 | 11.2% | 36.9% | 6.0% | 1986 | $1,068 | 35.5% | 92.7% | 2.3% |
| Mellette County | 2.94 | 38.1 | 15.4% | 39.6% | 17.4% | 1969 | $699 | 19.2% | 83.6% | 12.0% |
| Rock County | 2.35 | 41.8 | 6.9% | 23.4% | 5.8% | 1959 | $839 | 26.5% | 93.2% | 2.6% |
| Nobles County | 2.80 | 36.8 | 15.1% | 25.8% | 9.1% | 1966 | $910 | 16.7% | 79.4% | 3.2% |
| Jackson County | 3.48 | 34.8 | 27.1% | 32.7% | 21.1% | 1982 | $480 | 14.0% | 90.3% | 8.1% |
| Jackson County | 2.27 | 45.5 | 7.8% | 19.9% | 10.6% | 1959 | $842 | 26.4% | 95.0% | 2.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Hartley County, TX · Caribou County, ID · Loving County, TX · Schleicher County, TX · Jeff Davis County, TX · Camas County, ID · Daggett County, UT · Hidalgo County, NM · Greenlee County, AZ · Teton County, MT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Aurora County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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