Mellette County, South Dakota
Located in South Dakota, Mellette County has a population of 1,943 residents and a median age of 37.5 years, making it the #3,126 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 41.7%. The median home value is $84,100, and the median household income is $54,076, which is 28% below the national median.
Demographics
Mellette County has a population of 1,943, making it the #3,126 most populous county in the US. The median age is 37.5 years, which is 3.6% 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 Mellette County is $54,076, ranking #2,529 out of 3,222 counties — 28.0% below the national median. The poverty rate is 41.7% and unemployment stands at 12.5%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Mellette County is $84,100 (-70.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $708/mo and the homeownership rate is 60.4%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Mellette County, 19.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 43.2% below the national average, ranking #2,156 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Mellette County is 61.6 years. 26.0% of adults report poor or fair health and 14.4% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
27.5% of adults in Mellette County smoke , 42.8% are obese , and 17.7% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 77.6 per 100,000.
Families & Children
33.0% of children in Mellette County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 95.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Mellette County is 52.1%. The mean commute time is 18.8 min, which is 32.0% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Mellette County voted Republican with a margin of 20.1%. The vote was 38.5% Dem / 58.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Mellette County, South Dakota
Mellette County, South Dakota has a total population of 1,943, making it the 3,126th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Mellette County is 37.5 years, which is 3.6% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Mellette County is $54,076, which ranks #2,529 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 28.0% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 41.7%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 12.5%.
The median home value in Mellette County is $84,100, 70.2% below the national median. Renters in Mellette County pay a median gross rent of $708 per month. The homeownership rate is 60.4%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Mellette County, 19.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 43.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 75.0% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 18.8 min.
Mellette County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is American Indian (non-Hispanic) at 56.0% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (34.7%) and Two or More Races (7.5%).
All data for Mellette 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.