Perkins County, South Dakota
Located in South Dakota, Perkins County has a population of 3,001 residents and a median age of 44.0 years, making it the #3,033 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.7%. The median home value is $114,600, and the median household income is $66,908, which is 11% below the national median.
Demographics
Perkins County has a population of 3,001, making it the #3,033 most populous county in the US. The median age is 44.0 years, which is 13.1% 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 Perkins County is $66,908, ranking #1,442 out of 3,222 counties — 11.0% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.7% and unemployment stands at 4.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Perkins County is $114,600 (-59.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $738/mo and the homeownership rate is 78.4%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Perkins County, 24.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 26.2% below the national average, ranking #1,248 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Perkins County is 78.7 years. 11.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
13.4% of adults in Perkins County smoke , 33.5% are obese , and 22.6% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
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Families & Children
18.3% of children in Perkins County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 18.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Child Poverty Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Perkins County is 72.1%. The mean commute time is 15.9 min, which is 42.2% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Perkins County voted Republican with a margin of 70.0%. The vote was 14.3% Dem / 84.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.4 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Perkins County, South Dakota
Perkins County, South Dakota has a total population of 3,001, making it the 3,033rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Perkins County is 44.0 years, which is 13.1% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Perkins County is $66,908, which ranks #1,442 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 11.0% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.7%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.8%.
The median home value in Perkins County is $114,600, 59.3% below the national median. Renters in Perkins County pay a median gross rent of $738 per month. The homeownership rate is 78.4%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Perkins County, 24.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 26.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 15.9 min.
Perkins County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 92.0% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (4.8%) and American Indian (non-Hispanic) (1.2%).
All data for Perkins 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.