Pennington County, South Dakota
Located in South Dakota, Pennington County has a population of 113,512 residents and a median age of 40.1 years, making it the #551 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 11.2%. The median home value is $302,200, and the median household income is $74,517, which is 1% below the national median.
Demographics
Pennington County has a population of 113,512, making it the #551 most populous county in the US. The median age is 40.1 years, which is 3.1% 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 Pennington County is $74,517, ranking #867 out of 3,222 counties — 0.8% below the national median. The poverty rate is 11.2% and unemployment stands at 3.1%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Pennington County is $302,200 (+7.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,120/mo and the homeownership rate is 69.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Pennington County, 34.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 2.8% above the national average, ranking #482 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Pennington County is 76.1 years. 14.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.6% of adults in Pennington County smoke , 34.6% are obese , and 21.5% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 12.6 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Pennington County is 7.6 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 29.4 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 14.9 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
16.3% of children in Pennington County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.4 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 28.2 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Pennington County is 67.4%. The mean commute time is 21.3 min, which is 22.8% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Pennington County voted Republican with a margin of 26.5%. The vote was 35.4% Dem / 61.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Pennington County, South Dakota
Pennington County, South Dakota has a total population of 113,512, making it the 551st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Pennington County is 40.1 years, which is 3.1% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Pennington County is $74,517, which ranks #867 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 0.8% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.2%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.1%.
The median home value in Pennington County is $302,200, 7.2% above the national median. Renters in Pennington County pay a median gross rent of $1,120 per month. The homeownership rate is 69.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Pennington County, 34.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 2.8% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.3 min.
Pennington County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 77.8% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (7.5%) and American Indian (non-Hispanic) (6.0%).
All data for Pennington 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.