Brown County, South Dakota
Located in South Dakota, Brown County has a population of 37,877 residents and a median age of 37.8 years, making it the #1,258 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 11.7%. The median home value is $221,100, and the median household income is $70,898, which is 6% below the national median.
Demographics
Brown County has a population of 37,877, making it the #1,258 most populous county in the US. The median age is 37.8 years, which is 2.8% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Brown County is $70,898, ranking #1,133 out of 3,222 counties — 5.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 11.7% and unemployment stands at 3.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Brown County is $221,100 (-21.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $777/mo and the homeownership rate is 67.6%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Brown County, 33.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 0.3% above the national average, ranking #531 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Brown County is 78.5 years. 12.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 9.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
14.9% of adults in Brown County smoke , 35.9% are obese , and 23.8% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 9.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 15.4 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 8.8 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
9.9% of children in Brown County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 11.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Brown County is 61.2%. The mean commute time is 15.4 min, which is 44.0% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Brown County voted Republican with a margin of 26.9%. The vote was 35.6% Dem / 62.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.9 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Brown County, South Dakota
Brown County, South Dakota has a total population of 37,877, making it the 1,258th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Brown County is 37.8 years, which is 2.8% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Brown County is $70,898, which ranks #1,133 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 5.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.7%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.3%.
The median home value in Brown County is $221,100, 21.6% below the national median. Renters in Brown County pay a median gross rent of $777 per month. The homeownership rate is 67.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Brown County, 33.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 0.3% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 15.4 min.
Brown County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 84.7% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (4.7%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
All data for Brown County, South Dakota comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.