Hughes County, South Dakota
Located in South Dakota, Hughes County has a population of 17,664 residents and a median age of 39.5 years, making it the #2,001 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 9.2%. The median home value is $242,000, and the median household income is $81,395, which is 8% above the national median.
Demographics
Hughes County has a population of 17,664, making it the #2,001 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.5 years, which is 1.5% 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 Hughes County is $81,395, ranking #527 out of 3,222 counties — 8.3% above the national median. The poverty rate is 9.2% and unemployment stands at 1.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Hughes County is $242,000 (-14.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $990/mo and the homeownership rate is 72.0%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Hughes County, 39.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 15.9% above the national average, ranking #309 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Hughes County is 75.7 years. 11.7% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
13.3% of adults in Hughes County smoke , 34.8% are obese , and 23.6% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 20.7 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 14.6 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
10.8% of children in Hughes County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 23.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Hughes County is 65.8%. The mean commute time is 16.5 min, which is 40.3% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Hughes County voted Republican with a margin of 30.2%. The vote was 33.6% Dem / 63.8% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Hughes County, South Dakota
Hughes County, South Dakota has a total population of 17,664, making it the 2,001st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Hughes County is 39.5 years, which is 1.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Hughes County is $81,395, which ranks #527 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 8.3% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 9.2%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 1.0%.
The median home value in Hughes County is $242,000, 14.2% below the national median. Renters in Hughes County pay a median gross rent of $990 per month. The homeownership rate is 72.0%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Hughes County, 39.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 15.9% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 16.5 min.
Hughes County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 80.2% of the population, followed by American Indian (non-Hispanic) (10.8%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
All data for Hughes 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.