Population 5,205 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dewey County
Household size in Dewey County
| Period | Dewey County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.20 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.30 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.59 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.07 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Dewey County is a place of big households: 3.07 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has dropped from 3.20 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Dewey County
| Period | Dewey County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 29.9 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 28.1 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 27.6 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.3 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 27.6, Dewey County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults in their twenties. The median age has dropped from 29.9 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Only three of South Dakota's 66 counties are younger.
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 Dewey County
| Period | Dewey County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.6% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.6% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 23.9% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 27.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head more than a quarter of households in Dewey County (27.5%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Of South Dakota's 66 counties, only four have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Dewey County
Renters in Dewey County
| Period | Dewey County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.1% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.9% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.9% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.8% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Dewey County than nationally: 38.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. About two-thirds of owners (66.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 4.3 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Dewey County
| Period | Dewey County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.7% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Dewey County than nationally: 12.1%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has fallen 3.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Dewey County
| Period | Dewey County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +9 | +6 |
Homes in Dewey County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Dewey County
| Period | Dewey County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $386 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $427 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $570 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $718 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$331 | +$369 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Dewey County costs $718 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $331 a month since 2006–10, up 86%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 23.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the southwest.
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 Dewey County
Bachelor's degrees in Dewey County
| Period | Dewey County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.7% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.3% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.2% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Dewey County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 18.2%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 6.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Dewey County has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of South Dakota counties.
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 Dewey County
| Period | Dewey County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.2% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.3% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.8% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.0% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Dewey County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 6.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of South Dakota's 66 counties, only six have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Dewey County
| Period | Dewey County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.9% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 23.8% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.6% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Dewey County runs well above the national rate: 14.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only four of South Dakota's 66 counties have higher unemployment. Unemployment has fallen 3.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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).
Dewey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewey County | 3.07 | 27.6 | 27.5% | 38.8% | 12.1% | 1979 | $718 | 18.2% | 86.0% | 14.9% |
| Ziebach County | 3.23 | 36.5 | 27.3% | 42.9% | 16.9% | 1986 | $724 | 15.2% | 89.9% | 24.6% |
| Walworth County | 2.13 | 41.7 | 6.6% | 23.8% | 17.1% | 1966 | $865 | 27.0% | 91.8% | 3.2% |
| Sully County | 2.41 | 46.1 | 4.0% | 27.2% | 31.5% | 1983 | $790 | 23.8% | 96.2% | 0.0% |
| Potter County | 2.23 | 49.3 | 3.6% | 18.5% | 32.7% | 1974 | $1,026 | 26.8% | 96.6% | 2.8% |
| Edmunds County | 2.44 | 44.0 | 5.4% | 18.9% | 12.0% | 1968 | $1,076 | 28.9% | 92.1% | 1.3% |
| Faulk County | 2.25 | 42.1 | 1.7% | 20.4% | 20.3% | 1964 | $823 | 22.2% | 91.0% | 5.6% |
| Harding County | 2.22 | 46.3 | 4.0% | 23.5% | 27.6% | 1973 | $521 | 30.4% | 93.8% | 0.9% |
| Brown County | 2.33 | 38.8 | 9.7% | 32.4% | 10.7% | 1973 | $856 | 32.8% | 93.5% | 3.4% |
| Spink County | 2.44 | 45.6 | 4.4% | 27.3% | 18.4% | 1954 | $746 | 28.2% | 93.5% | 1.3% |
| Butte County | 2.47 | 41.5 | 10.5% | 23.9% | 11.2% | 1983 | $923 | 21.0% | 90.4% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Pendleton County, KY · Jerauld County, SD · Jewell County, KS · Jim Hogg County, TX · Johnson County, GA · Johnson County, NE · Johnson County, WY · Johnston County, OK · Jones County, NC · Jones County, SD
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 Dewey 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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