Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota
Located in South Dakota, Oglala Lakota County has a population of 13,491 residents and a median age of 28.2 years, making it the #2,257 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 57.6%. The median home value is $52,900, and the median household income is $41,417, which is 45% below the national median.
Demographics
Oglala Lakota County has a population of 13,491, making it the #2,257 most populous county in the US. The median age is 28.2 years, which is 27.5% 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 Oglala Lakota County is $41,417, ranking #3,052 out of 3,222 counties — 44.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 57.6% and unemployment stands at 15.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Oglala Lakota County is $52,900 (-81.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $584/mo and the homeownership rate is 51.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Oglala Lakota County, 11.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 65.0% below the national average, ranking #3,120 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Oglala Lakota County is 56.9 years. 35.0% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
37.7% of adults in Oglala Lakota County smoke , 43.9% are obese , and 17.8% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 26.7 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Oglala Lakota County is 40.6 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 55.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 86.4 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
40.7% of children in Oglala Lakota County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 16.9 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 55.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Oglala Lakota County is 35.5%. The mean commute time is 15.8 min, which is 42.7% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Oglala Lakota County voted Democratic with a margin of 70.5%. The vote was 83.8% Dem / 13.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 8.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota
Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota has a total population of 13,491, making it the 2,257th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Oglala Lakota County is 28.2 years, which is 27.5% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Oglala Lakota County is $41,417, which ranks #3,052 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 44.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 57.6%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 15.9%.
The median home value in Oglala Lakota County is $52,900, 81.2% below the national median. Renters in Oglala Lakota County pay a median gross rent of $584 per month. The homeownership rate is 51.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Oglala Lakota County, 11.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 65.0% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 55.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 15.8 min.
Oglala Lakota County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is American Indian (non-Hispanic) at 90.8% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (7.0%) and Hispanic or Latino (1.9%).
All data for Oglala Lakota 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.