Lawrence County, South Dakota
Located in South Dakota, Lawrence County has a population of 27,233 residents and a median age of 44.8 years, making it the #1,570 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 11.6%. The median home value is $346,500, and the median household income is $73,384, which is 2% below the national median.
Demographics
Lawrence County has a population of 27,233, making it the #1,570 most populous county in the US. The median age is 44.8 years, which is 15.2% 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 Lawrence County is $73,384, ranking #950 out of 3,222 counties — 2.3% below the national median. The poverty rate is 11.6% and unemployment stands at 1.7%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Lawrence County is $346,500 (+22.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $938/mo and the homeownership rate is 65.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Lawrence County, 32.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 2.3% below the national average, ranking #578 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Lawrence County is 79.4 years. 13.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
15.8% of adults in Lawrence County smoke , 35.0% are obese , and 22.8% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 16.1 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 13.2 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
11.4% of children in Lawrence County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 6.4 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Lawrence County is 66.6%. The mean commute time is 21.4 min, which is 22.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Lawrence County voted Republican with a margin of 31.4%. The vote was 32.9% Dem / 64.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.9 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Lawrence County, South Dakota
Lawrence County, South Dakota has a total population of 27,233, making it the 1,570th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Lawrence County is 44.8 years, which is 15.2% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Lawrence County is $73,384, which ranks #950 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 2.3% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.6%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 1.7%.
The median home value in Lawrence County is $346,500, 22.9% above the national median. Renters in Lawrence County pay a median gross rent of $938 per month. The homeownership rate is 65.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Lawrence County, 32.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 2.3% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.4 min.
Lawrence County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 88.8% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
All data for Lawrence 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.