Population 6,397 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Moody County
Household size in Moody County
| Period | Moody County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.35 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.50 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in Moody County has 2.50 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. That is in line with the rest of South Dakota. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 Moody County
| Period | Moody County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.2 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.2 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.1 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.3 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Moody County are younger than 41.1 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in South Dakota as a whole, where the median age is 38.9. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the south.
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 Moody County
| Period | Moody County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Moody County (9.8%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of South Dakota. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.1 points, mirroring the country.
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 Moody County
Renters in Moody County
| Period | Moody County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.3% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.6% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.5% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Moody County own their homes; 26.5% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 52.1% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the northwest. The renter share is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, 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 Moody County
| Period | Moody County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Moody County than nationally: 6.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.0 points, as it has nationally. Only three of South Dakota's 66 counties have 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 Moody County
| Period | Moody County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1960 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +18 | +9 | +6 |
Moody County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1971, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1953 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the east has the oldest housing.
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 Moody County
| Period | Moody County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $544 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $543 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $668 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $864 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$321 | +$369 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Moody County costs $864 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $321 a month since 2006–10, up 59%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 22.2% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the center.
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 Moody County
Bachelor's degrees in Moody County
| Period | Moody County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.5% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.1% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.7% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.6% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.1 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over three in ten adults 25 and older in Moody County (31.6%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 10.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
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 Moody County
| Period | Moody County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.4% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.6% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.3% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.3% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Moody County: 95.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Moody County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of South Dakota counties.
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 Moody County
| Period | Moody County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.0% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Moody County has been low: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. The picture is much the same across South Dakota. 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).
Moody 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moody County | 2.50 | 41.1 | 9.8% | 26.5% | 6.8% | 1971 | $864 | 31.6% | 95.3% | 2.6% |
| Pipestone County | 2.34 | 40.6 | 8.8% | 19.2% | 8.7% | 1955 | $775 | 22.0% | 92.6% | 3.0% |
| Lake County | 2.25 | 45.0 | 7.5% | 26.2% | 16.3% | 1970 | $945 | 35.3% | 93.5% | 3.1% |
| Miner County | 2.42 | 48.1 | 6.9% | 15.2% | 16.9% | 1954 | $638 | 16.4% | 94.9% | 0.2% |
| Murray County | 2.22 | 46.1 | 6.5% | 17.8% | 12.4% | 1960 | $832 | 23.5% | 91.7% | 2.6% |
| Sanborn County | 2.51 | 39.7 | 4.0% | 21.4% | 19.5% | 1958 | $778 | 21.8% | 89.1% | 0.6% |
| Cottonwood County | 2.42 | 39.7 | 8.3% | 25.6% | 10.5% | 1961 | $822 | 23.5% | 94.1% | 2.7% |
| Jerauld County | 2.20 | 50.8 | 6.4% | 15.9% | 18.5% | 1958 | $737 | 21.5% | 93.5% | 1.6% |
| Watonwan County | 2.66 | 40.2 | 11.5% | 22.2% | 14.3% | 1961 | $831 | 17.3% | 86.2% | 5.6% |
| Blue Earth County | 2.43 | 34.1 | 10.6% | 38.6% | 7.3% | 1979 | $1,229 | 34.3% | 94.9% | 5.0% |
| Buffalo County | 3.72 | 22.8 | 34.1% | 47.4% | 12.5% | 1977 | $597 | 10.4% | 88.0% | 11.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Ellis County, OK · Stephens County, TX · Steele County, ND · Stark County, IL · Stanton County, NE · Stanton County, KS · Stanley County, SD · Stafford County, KS · St. Helena Parish, LA · St. Clair County, MO
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 Moody 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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