Lead, SD Demographics

Population 3,217 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Lead, SD map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Lead

Household size in Lead

Household size, people per household
PeriodLeadSouth DakotaU.S.
2006–102.142.512.68
2010–142.172.512.73
2015–192.082.502.71
2020–242.202.482.65
Change+0.06−0.03−0.03
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Lead is a place of small households, averaging 2.20 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children.

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 Lead

Median age, years
PeriodLeadSouth DakotaU.S.
2006–1044.837.937.7
2010–1443.338.338.6
2015–1948.338.839.6
2020–2450.038.940.1
Change+5.1+1.0+2.3
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Lead skews older: half of its residents are older than 50.0, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 44.8 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.

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 Lead

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodLeadSouth DakotaU.S.
2006–107.9%10.8%12.3%
2010–1420.8%11.1%12.3%
2015–195.9%10.9%11.6%
2020–244.9%10.7%11.6%
Change−3.0 pts−0.1 pts−0.6 pts
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Single-parent households are relatively rare in Lead: 4.9% 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 Lead

Renters in Lead

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodLeadSouth DakotaU.S.
2006–1030.5%31.1%33.3%
2010–1423.0%32.0%35.6%
2015–1935.4%32.0%36.0%
2020–2427.3%31.4%34.8%
Change−3.2 pts+0.3 pts+1.5 pts
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More than a quarter of households in Lead rent their homes (27.3%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 53.5% have no mortgage at all, 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 Lead

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodLeadSouth DakotaU.S.
2006–1024.2%11.3%11.4%
2010–1431.0%10.7%11.4%
2015–1930.0%11.6%11.1%
2020–2423.5%10.3%9.6%
Change−0.7 pts−1.1 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacancy is high in Lead: 23.5% 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 Lead

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodLeadSouth DakotaU.S.
2006–10194719721974
2010–14194819741975
2015–19194819771977
2020–24194319811980
Change−4+9+6
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Lead is a place of older homes: half were built before 1943, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.

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 Lead

Rent, per month
PeriodLeadSouth DakotaU.S.
2006–10$601$631$965
2010–14$622$692$1,040
2015–19$651$798$1,213
2020–24$816$1,000$1,571
Change+$214+$369+$606
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The median renter in Lead pays $816 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 24.9% 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 Lead

Bachelor's degrees in Lead

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodLeadSouth DakotaU.S.
2006–1019.7%26.8%28.4%
2010–1424.4%27.8%29.6%
2015–1925.5%29.4%32.1%
2020–2420.8%32.5%35.6%
Change+1.1 pts+5.6 pts+7.2 pts
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Fewer adults in Lead have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.8%, 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 Lead

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodLeadSouth DakotaU.S.
2006–1092.2%89.9%84.9%
2010–1495.5%91.0%86.1%
2015–1991.3%91.8%87.7%
2020–2494.9%93.1%89.3%
Change+2.7 pts+3.2 pts+4.3 pts
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High school completion is high in Lead: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.

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 Lead

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodLeadSouth DakotaU.S.
2006–104.6%4.9%8.1%
2010–147.9%4.9%9.4%
2015–193.5%3.6%5.6%
2020–240.5%3.1%5.4%
Change−4.1 pts−1.7 pts−2.7 pts
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The job market in Lead has been strong: just 0.5% 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).

Lead compared with nearby cities

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Lead2.2050.04.9%27.3%23.5%1943$81620.8%94.9%0.5%
Central City2.1258.51.6%10.7%53.8%1994$88527.7%95.0%10.8%
Deadwood2.0852.57.2%34.5%25.0%1978$79426.3%94.6%2.9%
Trojan1.8267.40.9%5.1%78.5%2000$84431.4%96.0%17.3%
Englewood1.7765.81.4%3.6%41.0%2001$82124.1%93.3%0.0%
Galena2.1453.210.6%25.4%22.0%1992$77125.8%95.7%0.9%
Savoy1.8267.40.9%5.1%78.5%2000$92231.4%96.0%17.3%
Hanna1.8267.40.9%5.1%78.5%2000$84431.4%96.0%17.3%
Roubaix1.7765.81.4%3.6%41.0%2001$83724.1%93.3%0.0%
Whitewood2.7246.94.7%21.8%17.0%1995$1,07726.4%93.2%1.4%
Spearfish2.2641.37.6%40.3%8.3%1993$1,02537.3%95.8%1.4%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Carlton, OR · Chimayo, NM · Tecumseh, KS · New Hampton, NY · Parchman, MS · Park Hills, KY · Parksley, VA · Raceland, KY · Ridgway, CO · Ronks, PA

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 Lead. 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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