Population 2,828 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Douglas County
Household size in Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.25 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Douglas County are small: just 2.36 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home.
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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.2 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.6 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.6 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.7 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −4.5 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Douglas County is 43.7 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has dropped from 48.2 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.8% of households in Douglas County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Few South Dakota counties have a lower share of single-parent households: only five of 66.
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 Douglas County
Renters in Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.9% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.5% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.2% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.3% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.3% of households in Douglas County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About three-quarters of owners (73.4%) 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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.8% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.3% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.3% of the housing in Douglas County, 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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +9 | +6 |
The housing in Douglas County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1959, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Douglas County has older homes than the great majority of 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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $441 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $557 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $547 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $901 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$459 | +$369 | +$606 |
The median renter in Douglas County pays $901 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 25.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Compared with other South Dakota counties, though, Douglas County has higher rents than most.
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 Douglas County
Bachelor's degrees in Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.0% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.0% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Douglas County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 25.0%, against 35.6% nationally.
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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.1% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.2% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.5% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.3% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +16.2 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Douglas County have finished high school as nationally: 90.3%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in South Dakota as a whole (93.1%).
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 Douglas County
| Period | Douglas County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.5% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 1.0% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.8% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.5% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Douglas County has been strong: just 0.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Few South Dakota counties have lower unemployment: only five of 66. 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).
Douglas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 2.36 | 43.7 | 3.8% | 23.3% | 14.3% | 1959 | $901 | 25.0% | 90.3% | 0.5% |
| Hutchinson County | 2.45 | 42.1 | 6.8% | 22.7% | 11.3% | 1962 | $710 | 31.3% | 94.2% | 1.3% |
| Turner County | 2.47 | 40.9 | 8.2% | 21.0% | 7.7% | 1960 | $772 | 26.7% | 93.2% | 2.1% |
| Tripp County | 2.47 | 45.4 | 11.7% | 31.6% | 16.4% | 1966 | $776 | 17.4% | 88.3% | 2.1% |
| Lincoln County | 2.56 | 35.9 | 10.8% | 28.8% | 3.6% | 2002 | $1,270 | 46.6% | 96.8% | 1.5% |
| Lyon County | 2.77 | 38.1 | 5.7% | 19.1% | 9.0% | 1967 | $801 | 20.4% | 95.4% | 2.2% |
| Todd County | 3.64 | 26.0 | 35.6% | 53.7% | 11.7% | 1982 | $537 | 16.5% | 82.8% | 17.6% |
| Osceola County | 2.32 | 45.6 | 10.0% | 22.1% | 8.9% | 1954 | $781 | 17.5% | 88.3% | 3.6% |
| Dickinson County | 2.04 | 49.0 | 5.3% | 22.5% | 25.3% | 1978 | $956 | 30.6% | 97.0% | 3.1% |
| Bennett County | 3.85 | 29.0 | 25.7% | 38.8% | 20.1% | 1976 | $626 | 16.6% | 85.9% | 9.1% |
| Emmet County | 2.16 | 43.1 | 9.7% | 20.6% | 11.0% | 1953 | $745 | 16.4% | 89.1% | 1.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Griggs County, ND · Richland County, MT · Richardson County, NE · Rich County, UT · Rice County, KS · Reynolds County, MO · Republic County, KS · Renville County, ND · Refugio County, TX · Presidio County, TX
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 Douglas 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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