Custer County, South Dakota
Located in South Dakota, Custer County has a population of 8,892 residents and a median age of 57.6 years, making it the #2,570 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 9.0%. The median home value is $372,100, and the median household income is $84,112, which is 12% above the national median.
Demographics
Custer County has a population of 8,892, making it the #2,570 most populous county in the US. The median age is 57.6 years, which is 48.1% above 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 Custer County is $84,112, ranking #449 out of 3,222 counties — 11.9% above the national median. The poverty rate is 9.0% and unemployment stands at 2.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Custer County is $372,100 (+32.0% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,112/mo and the homeownership rate is 85.6%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Custer County, 31.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 6.2% below the national average, ranking #648 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Custer County is 81.5 years. 12.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
14.6% of adults in Custer County smoke , 37.5% are obese , and 22.7% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 27.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 29.2 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
13.3% of children in Custer County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 18.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Custer County is 73.5%. The mean commute time is 30.7 min, which is 11.3% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Custer County voted Republican with a margin of 45.8%. The vote was 26.1% Dem / 71.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.4 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Custer County, South Dakota
Custer County, South Dakota has a total population of 8,892, making it the 2,570th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Custer County is 57.6 years, which is 48.1% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Custer County is $84,112, which ranks #449 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 11.9% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 9.0%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.3%.
The median home value in Custer County is $372,100, 32.0% above the national median. Renters in Custer County pay a median gross rent of $1,112 per month. The homeownership rate is 85.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Custer County, 31.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 6.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 30.7 min.
Custer County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 87.7% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (5.0%) and Hispanic or Latino (3.1%).
All data for Custer 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.