Population 70,638 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lincoln County
Household size in Lincoln County
| Period | Lincoln County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.73 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.87 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in Lincoln County has 2.56 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Even so, the typical household here is bigger than in South Dakota overall, where it has 2.48 people. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.61, in line with the national trend.
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 Lincoln County
| Period | Lincoln County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.1 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.2 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.1 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.9 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.9, Lincoln County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.1, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Lincoln County
| Period | Lincoln County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Lincoln County (10.8%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 2.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Lincoln County
Renters in Lincoln County
| Period | Lincoln County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.9% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.7% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.3% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.8% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Lincoln County rent their homes (28.8%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 29.8% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the east. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Lincoln County
| Period | Lincoln County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.6% of homes in Lincoln County are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 1.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other South Dakota county has a lower vacancy rate.
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 Lincoln County
| Period | Lincoln County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1993 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1995 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1997 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2002 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +9 | +6 |
Lincoln County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 2002, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1993 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southeast. Lincoln County has the newest homes of any South Dakota county.
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 Lincoln County
| Period | Lincoln County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $791 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $833 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,010 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,270 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$479 | +$369 | +$606 |
Rent in Lincoln County runs $1,270 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in South Dakota overall ($1,000). Rents are up $479 a month from 2006–10, a 61% jump, roughly in step with the nation. No other South Dakota county has higher rents.
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 Lincoln County
Bachelor's degrees in Lincoln County
| Period | Lincoln County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.9% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 43.2% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.1% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.6% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Lincoln County: 46.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 6.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Lincoln County has the highest share of college graduates of any South Dakota county.
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 Lincoln County
| Period | Lincoln County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.7% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.4% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.1% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.8% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Lincoln County: 96.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.1 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Only one other South Dakota county has a higher 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 Lincoln County
| Period | Lincoln County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.5% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 1.7% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.8% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.5% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Lincoln County has been low: just 1.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Lincoln 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 2.56 | 35.9 | 10.8% | 28.8% | 3.6% | 2002 | $1,270 | 46.6% | 96.8% | 1.5% |
| Minnehaha County | 2.40 | 37.0 | 11.2% | 36.9% | 6.0% | 1986 | $1,068 | 35.5% | 92.7% | 2.3% |
| Turner County | 2.47 | 40.9 | 8.2% | 21.0% | 7.7% | 1960 | $772 | 26.7% | 93.2% | 2.1% |
| Lyon County | 2.77 | 38.1 | 5.7% | 19.1% | 9.0% | 1967 | $801 | 20.4% | 95.4% | 2.2% |
| Hutchinson County | 2.45 | 42.1 | 6.8% | 22.7% | 11.3% | 1962 | $710 | 31.3% | 94.2% | 1.3% |
| 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% |
| Douglas County | 2.36 | 43.7 | 3.8% | 23.3% | 14.3% | 1959 | $901 | 25.0% | 90.3% | 0.5% |
| Emmet County | 2.16 | 43.1 | 9.7% | 20.6% | 11.0% | 1953 | $745 | 16.4% | 89.1% | 1.6% |
| Winnebago County | 2.19 | 42.9 | 10.2% | 29.4% | 9.6% | 1960 | $699 | 26.0% | 94.8% | 3.0% |
| Tripp County | 2.47 | 45.4 | 11.7% | 31.6% | 16.4% | 1966 | $776 | 17.4% | 88.3% | 2.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Franklin County, NC · Van Zandt County, TX · Union County, OH · Tuolumne County, CA · Trujillo Alto Municipio, PR · Granville County, NC · Grant County, IN · Grand Forks County, ND · Georgetown County, SC · Garfield County, CO
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 Lincoln 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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