Hand County, South Dakota
Located in South Dakota, Hand County has a population of 3,140 residents and a median age of 42.5 years, making it the #3,029 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 5.2%. The median home value is $159,300, and the median household income is $74,635, which is 1% below the national median.
Demographics
Hand County has a population of 3,140, making it the #3,029 most populous county in the US. The median age is 42.5 years, which is 9.3% 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 Hand County is $74,635, ranking #862 out of 3,222 counties — 0.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 5.2% and unemployment stands at 0.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Hand County is $159,300 (-43.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $587/mo and the homeownership rate is 65.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Hand County, 28.4% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 15.8% below the national average, ranking #895 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Hand County is 78.5 years. 12.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
15.5% of adults in Hand County smoke , 34.5% are obese , and 23.7% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
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Families & Children
9.3% of children in Hand County live in poverty .
Child Poverty Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Hand County is 77.0%. The mean commute time is 15.5 min, which is 43.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Hand County voted Republican with a margin of 57.3%. The vote was 20.7% Dem / 78% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted +0.5 toward Democrats .
Vote Share Over Time
About Hand County, South Dakota
Hand County, South Dakota has a total population of 3,140, making it the 3,029th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Hand County is 42.5 years, which is 9.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Hand County is $74,635, which ranks #862 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 0.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 5.2%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 0.8%.
The median home value in Hand County is $159,300, 43.5% below the national median. Renters in Hand County pay a median gross rent of $587 per month. The homeownership rate is 65.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Hand County, 28.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 15.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.0% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 15.5 min.
Hand County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 92.2% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (2.1%) and Other (non-Hispanic) (2.0%).
All data for Hand 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.