Population 17,805 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Spearfish
Household size in Spearfish
| Period | Spearfish | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.06 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.17 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.26 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.20 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Spearfish is a place of small households, averaging 2.26 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has climbed from 2.06 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the center.
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 Spearfish
| Period | Spearfish | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.3 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.2 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.3 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.5 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Spearfish are younger than 41.3 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 median age has crept up from 40.7 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 Spearfish
| Period | Spearfish | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.6% of households in Spearfish, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 3.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Spearfish has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of South Dakota cities.
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 Spearfish
Renters in Spearfish
| Period | Spearfish | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.9% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.8% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.9% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.3% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in Spearfish rent their homes (40.3%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 44.0% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the west. The renter share has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Spearfish
| Period | Spearfish | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Spearfish as nationally: 8.3%, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in South Dakota as a whole (10.3%). Vacancy is up 1.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Spearfish
| Period | Spearfish | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1993 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +9 | +6 |
Spearfish has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1993, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center 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 Spearfish
| Period | Spearfish | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $610 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $645 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $820 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,025 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$415 | +$369 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Spearfish costs $1,025 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $415 a month from 2006–10, a 68% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the southeast.
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 Spearfish
Bachelor's degrees in Spearfish
| Period | Spearfish | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.1% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.6% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.8% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.3% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Spearfish as nationally: 37.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is higher than in South Dakota as a whole (32.5%). College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southeast.
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 Spearfish
| Period | Spearfish | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.0% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.9% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.7% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.8% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Spearfish: 95.8% 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 1.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Spearfish
| Period | Spearfish | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.4% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Spearfish has been strong: just 1.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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).
Spearfish 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spearfish | 2.26 | 41.3 | 7.6% | 40.3% | 8.3% | 1993 | $1,025 | 37.3% | 95.8% | 1.4% |
| St. Onge | 2.43 | 50.7 | 6.5% | 9.2% | 13.5% | 2003 | $1,268 | 37.9% | 96.8% | 0.2% |
| Central City | 2.12 | 58.5 | 1.6% | 10.7% | 53.8% | 1994 | $885 | 27.7% | 95.0% | 10.8% |
| Savoy | 1.82 | 67.4 | 0.9% | 5.1% | 78.5% | 2000 | $922 | 31.4% | 96.0% | 17.3% |
| Trojan | 1.82 | 67.4 | 0.9% | 5.1% | 78.5% | 2000 | $844 | 31.4% | 96.0% | 17.3% |
| Lead | 2.20 | 50.0 | 4.9% | 27.3% | 23.5% | 1943 | $816 | 20.8% | 94.9% | 0.5% |
| Deadwood | 2.08 | 52.5 | 7.2% | 34.5% | 25.0% | 1978 | $794 | 26.3% | 94.6% | 2.9% |
| Belle Fourche | 2.38 | 41.2 | 12.2% | 29.0% | 9.8% | 1983 | $913 | 20.0% | 89.2% | 2.7% |
| Whitewood | 2.72 | 46.9 | 4.7% | 21.8% | 17.0% | 1995 | $1,077 | 26.4% | 93.2% | 1.4% |
| Fruitdale | 2.84 | 39.6 | 7.3% | 11.2% | 10.9% | 1988 | $926 | 24.4% | 92.8% | 0.7% |
| Beulah | 2.91 | 43.8 | 6.9% | 19.9% | 30.2% | 1984 | $832 | 25.3% | 97.2% | 0.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Veradale, WA · Conshohocken, PA · Dayton, TN · Delmar, NY · Denville, NJ · Webster, MA · Vincentown, NJ · Verona, PA · Vermilion, OH · Verdigris, OK
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 Spearfish. 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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