Brule County, South Dakota Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Brule County, South Dakota, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Brule County, South Dakota. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Brule County, South Dakota. The estimated population of Brule County, South Dakota is 5,247 people, with a median age of 39.3.

We can look at the total population in Brule County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
5,247
+0.27%
-0.63%
2020
5,233
 -0.48% -
2019
5,258
+0.04%
-
2018
5,256
 -0.45% -
2017
5,280
 - -

Population of Brule County, South Dakota by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
82.4%
84.8%
 -2.83%
Black/African American
1.2%
0%
 0.00%
Native
13.2%
9.8%
 +34.69%
Hispanic
1.3%
2.5%
 -48.00%
Asian
0.4%
0.3%
 +33.33%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.5%
2.5%
 -40.00%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Brule County, South Dakota by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 39.3 -1.26% 37.4 -0.53% 40.7 -3.78%
2020 39.8 -2.69% 37.6 -1.31% 42.3 -5.79%
2019 40.9 -0.24% 38.1 -0.52% 44.9 +3.46%
2018 41 +1.23% 38.3 +3.79% 43.4 -0.23%
2017 40.5 - 36.9 - 43.5 -

The median age of Brule County, South Dakota gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 377 0.35% 375 -29.52% 375 274
10 to 19 366 +21.62% 301 +35.42% 448 417
20 to 29 304 -7.84% 287 0.96% 276 286
30 to 39 344 -7.88% 262 +12.15% 317 291
40 to 49 240 0.42% 298 -0.85% 234 285
50 to 59 376 -3.1% 399 -16.49% 359 337
60 to 69 381 +7.73% 392 -0.73% 404 380
70+ 238 +3.38% 340 -6.24% 246 318

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Brule County, South Dakota is $60,857.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Brule County.

  • Under 25
    $46,250.00
  • 25 to 44
    $54,492.00
  • 45 to 64
    $72,500.00
  • 65 and over
    $55,733.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Brule County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Brule County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Brule County, South Dakota is currently $81,481.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

6.43% of households in Brule County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Brule County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    16.28%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    21.61%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    23.47%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    11.71%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    14.87%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    5.63%
  • $200,000 or more
    6.43%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Brule County is $32,605.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Brule County by the total population of Brule County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Brule County, South Dakota, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Brule County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    6.54%
  • Bachelor's degree
    29.97%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    8.54%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    50.68%
  • Less than high school diploma
    4.27%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Brule County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Brule County over the age of 16 is 4,040.

Of those people, a total of 68.20% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Brule County is 65.60%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 307 65.10% 21.50%
20 to 24 years 257 87.90% 9.30%
25 to 29 years 305 89.80% 2.60%
30 to 34 years 256 66.80% 0.00%
35 to 44 years 624 85.10% 3.80%
45 to 54 years 557 84.60% 0.00%
55 to 59 years 386 89.90% 0.90%
60 to 64 years 394 66.50% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 540 44.40% 0.00%
75 years and over 414 8.00% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Brule County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 3,491 66.10% 2.70%
Black or African American 61 98.40% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 422 79.60% 8.90%
Asian 22 100.00% 4.50%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 0 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 44 68.20% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 56 100.00% 80.40%
Not Hispanic or Latino 3,435 65.50% 0.80%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Brule County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Brule County is 2,652, with median earnings of $33,177.00.

Women in Brule County, South Dakota earning approximately 71.70% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 2,652 $33,177.00
Male 1,397 $40,329.00
Female 1,255 $28,914.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 494 $46,711.00
Business and Financial 47 $66,964.00
Computer and Mathematical 16 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 4 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 14 $0.00
Community and Social Service 24 $59,063.00
Legal 17 $41,607.00
Educational and Library 137 $55,150.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 67 $30,625.00
Healthcare Practitioners 105 $44,250.00
Healthcare Support 48 $9,706.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 13 $0.00
Law Enforcement 27 $44,554.00
Food Preparation and Serving 183 $16,250.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 126 $11,111.00
Personal Care and Service 202 $32,500.00
Sales 161 $35,313.00
Office and Administrative Support 363 $32,813.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 91 $21,477.00
Construction and Extraction 86 $31,250.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 114 $54,750.00
Production 149 $13,281.00
Transportation and Material Moving 147 $34,940.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 390 $46,053.00 104 $58,611.00
Business and Financial 20 $125,357.00 27 $65,536.00
Computer and Mathematical 16 $0.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 3 $0.00 1 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 8 $0.00 6 $0.00
Community and Social Service 11 $105,536.00 13 $57,969.00
Legal 7 $0.00 10 $0.00
Educational and Library 52 $58,667.00 85 $46,595.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 30 $21,250.00 37 $38,450.00
Healthcare Practitioners 29 $92,917.00 76 $22,857.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 48 $9,706.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 12 $0.00 1 $0.00
Law Enforcement 19 $47,841.00 8 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 77 $17,431.00 106 $14,333.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 45 $6,518.00 81 $11,620.00
Personal Care and Service 41 $40,288.00 161 $31,856.00
Sales 107 $65,707.00 54 $18,333.00
Office and Administrative Support 45 $29,766.00 318 $33,125.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 73 $22,596.00 18 $20,417.00
Construction and Extraction 86 $31,250.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 114 $54,750.00 0 $0.00
Production 64 $10,833.00 85 $14,531.00
Transportation and Material Moving 143 $35,221.00 4 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 1,990 households in Brule County, with an average household size of 2.47 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 1,208 families in Brule County with an average family size of 3.26 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,026 78 104 782
Average Household Size 3.21 3.65 4.54 1.1
Total Families 1,026 78 104 0
Average Household Size 3.18 3.14 4.15 0

Poverty

Of the 1,208 families in Brule County, 9.00% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Brule County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 2,370 housing units in Brule County, South Dakota.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 1,990 83.97%
Vacant 380 16.03%

22.74% of the total 2,370 housing units in Brule County are rental units. This is approximately 539 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 1,293 are occupied by the owner - or 54.56% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Brule County is $749.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Brule County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    158
  • Less than $500
    98
  • $500 to $999
    348
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    72
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    17
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    4
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Brule County is $162,300.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Brule County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    159
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    216
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    193
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    228
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    356
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    87
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    23
  • $1,000,000 or more
    31

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Brule County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Brule County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    497
  • 1940 to 1949
    137
  • 1950 to 1959
    283
  • 1960 to 1969
    147
  • 1970 to 1979
    420
  • 1980 to 1989
    225
  • 1990 to 1999
    241
  • 2000 to 2009
    232
  • 2010 to 2013
    185
  • 2014 or later
    3

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Brule County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    111
  • 1 vehicle available
    555
  • 2 vehicles available
    644
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    680

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Brule County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Brule County that commute to work in a particular way.

14 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Brule County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    469
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    560
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    425
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    391
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    129
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    60
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    111
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    39
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    61
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    14
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    59
  • 90 or more minutes
    24

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Brule County, South Dakota in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Brule County, South Dakota

We have data for 25 places in Brule County, South Dakota. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.