Population 158 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Houghton
Household size in Houghton
| Period | Houghton | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.17 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.87 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.22 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.45 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.28 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Houghton run small, averaging 2.45 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. The picture is much the same across South Dakota. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.17, 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 Houghton
| Period | Houghton | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 59.4 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 57.2 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.9 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −5.8 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Houghton skews older than the country: its median age is 43.9, against 40.1 nationally.
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 Houghton
| Period | Houghton | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.8% of households in Houghton, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Houghton
Renters in Houghton
| Period | Houghton | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.9% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.8% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +11.4 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Houghton own their homes; 25.8% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Nearly nine in ten owners (86.5%) 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 Houghton
| Period | Houghton | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.3% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.3% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +20.7 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Houghton: 33.3% 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 Houghton
| Period | Houghton | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1946 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1946 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1947 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +20 | +9 | +6 |
The housing in Houghton is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1966, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
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 Houghton
| Period | Houghton | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $453 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $472 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $541 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $946 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$493 | +$369 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Houghton costs $946 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 22.8% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Houghton
Bachelor's degrees in Houghton
| Period | Houghton | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.0% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.9% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.7% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.0% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Houghton have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 17.0%, 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 Houghton
| Period | Houghton | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.3% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.4% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.1% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.6% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Houghton have finished high school (92.6%), above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across South Dakota.
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 Houghton
| Period | Houghton | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.0% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 0.4% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.3% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.1% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Houghton has been low: just 1.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Houghton compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton | 2.45 | 43.9 | 5.8% | 25.8% | 33.3% | 1966 | $946 | 17.0% | 92.6% | 1.1% |
| Hecla | 2.45 | 43.4 | 5.4% | 27.6% | 36.3% | 1963 | $950 | 16.6% | 92.5% | 0.1% |
| Columbia | 2.54 | 33.9 | 7.8% | 6.3% | 14.9% | 1956 | $1,548 | 19.4% | 96.7% | 2.9% |
| Claremont | 2.55 | 33.3 | 7.1% | 11.8% | 18.4% | 1952 | $1,561 | 19.2% | 96.5% | 1.6% |
| Huffton | 2.57 | 31.5 | 7.6% | 7.7% | 16.1% | 1950 | $1,650 | 19.4% | 97.1% | 1.8% |
| Barnard | 2.42 | 46.7 | 8.1% | 8.5% | 14.8% | 1983 | $912 | 20.4% | 93.6% | 6.8% |
| Tacoma Park | 2.47 | 39.8 | 8.1% | 7.1% | 14.3% | 1969 | $1,288 | 19.2% | 95.4% | 5.0% |
| Putney | 2.58 | 30.9 | 7.7% | 5.9% | 15.3% | 1950 | $1,682 | 19.5% | 97.4% | 1.8% |
| Amherst | 2.36 | 48.6 | 2.6% | 19.9% | 26.4% | 1963 | $802 | 23.4% | 91.0% | 0.5% |
| Frederick | 2.71 | 39.5 | 7.1% | 11.5% | 26.3% | 1974 | $683 | 27.9% | 92.7% | 0.7% |
| Guelph | 2.10 | 51.1 | 4.5% | 13.8% | 11.2% | 1946 | $840 | 24.4% | 94.8% | 12.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lutzville, PA · Lodgepole, SD · Loman, MN · West End, WV · West Colesville, NY · Lourdes, IA · Welty, CO · Wellington, ME · Welchs Creek, KY · Weed, NM
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 Houghton. 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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