Lawrence County, South Dakota Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Lawrence 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 Lawrence County, South Dakota. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Lawrence County, South Dakota. The estimated population of Lawrence County, South Dakota is 25,687 people, with a median age of 42.3.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
25,687
 -0.46% +2.67%
2020
25,806
+1.29%
-
2019
25,478
+0.97%
-
2018
25,234
+0.86%
-
2017
25,018
 - -

Population of Lawrence 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
90%
91.4%
 -1.53%
Black/African American
0.9%
0.9%
 0.00%
Native
2.1%
2.2%
 -4.55%
Hispanic
3.5%
3.2%
 +9.38%
Asian
0.6%
0.9%
 -33.33%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
0.2%
 -50.00%
Two Or More Races
2.7%
1.1%
 +145.45%
Other
0%
0.1%
 -100.00%

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 Lawrence 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 42.3 0% 41.5 +1.47% 42.7 -0.47%
2020 42.3 +0.48% 40.9 0% 42.9 -0.23%
2019 42.1 +0.48% 40.9 +0.49% 43 -0.46%
2018 41.9 +1.21% 40.7 +0.74% 43.2 +1.17%
2017 41.4 - 40.4 - 42.7 -

The median age of Lawrence 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 1,422 -21.24% 1,129 -13.15% 1,138 987
10 to 19 1,436 +10.23% 1,515 +20.31% 1,579 1,843
20 to 29 1,946 -12.82% 1,905 -4.78% 1,704 1,815
30 to 39 1,330 +22.95% 1,326 +4.93% 1,660 1,385
40 to 49 1,325 -7.94% 1,324 -1.4% 1,215 1,297
50 to 59 1,837 -27.05% 1,928 -18.38% 1,382 1,592
60 to 69 1,811 +27.08% 1,763 +18.59% 2,350 2,113
70+ 1,334 +25.56% 1,687 +13.16% 1,708 1,919

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Lawrence County, South Dakota is $56,166.00.

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 Lawrence County.

  • Under 25
    $23,516.00
  • 25 to 44
    $61,981.00
  • 45 to 64
    $69,031.00
  • 65 and over
    $50,159.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Lawrence 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 Lawrence County, South Dakota is currently $82,753.00.

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.

5.99% of households in Lawrence 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 Lawrence County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    19.79%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    25.14%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    18.09%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.04%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    15.02%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.92%
  • $200,000 or more
    5.99%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Lawrence County is $37,180.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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
    11.49%
  • Bachelor's degree
    36.94%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    12.20%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    37.36%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.03%

Employment

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

The total population of Lawrence County over the age of 16 is 21,885.

Of those people, a total of 64.90% 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 Lawrence County is 63.00%.

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 1,745 68.80% 5.70%
20 to 24 years 2,163 70.90% 5.90%
25 to 29 years 1,356 89.70% 1.40%
30 to 34 years 1,558 91.10% 0.60%
35 to 44 years 2,728 84.30% 2.40%
45 to 54 years 2,714 89.40% 1.70%
55 to 59 years 1,531 82.60% 2.50%
60 to 64 years 2,345 61.80% 3.60%
65 to 74 years 3,620 33.40% 0.10%
75 years and over 2,125 8.50% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Lawrence 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 20,032 65.60% 2.80%
Black or African American 192 55.70% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 498 32.70% 2.50%
Asian 181 50.30% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 15 0.00% 0.00%
Other 207 92.30% 0.00%
Two or more races 760 67.80% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 714 74.90% 9.80%
Not Hispanic or Latino 19,683 65.40% 2.40%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Lawrence 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 Lawrence County is 13,797, with median earnings of $31,935.00.

Women in Lawrence County, South Dakota earning approximately 57.60% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 13,797 $31,935.00
Male 7,007 $42,673.00
Female 6,790 $24,598.00

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 1,553 $47,295.00
Business and Financial 386 $55,278.00
Computer and Mathematical 143 $76,442.00
Architecture and Engineering 239 $85,905.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 157 $58,828.00
Community and Social Service 198 $38,182.00
Legal 108 $80,132.00
Educational and Library 708 $35,000.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 239 $31,328.00
Healthcare Practitioners 742 $53,145.00
Healthcare Support 463 $27,796.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 162 $15,417.00
Law Enforcement 120 $44,577.00
Food Preparation and Serving 1,254 $12,546.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 649 $20,808.00
Personal Care and Service 533 $16,343.00
Sales 1,498 $30,815.00
Office and Administrative Support 1,470 $25,061.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 144 $7,143.00
Construction and Extraction 1,060 $36,202.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 479 $31,806.00
Production 695 $42,688.00
Transportation and Material Moving 462 $24,539.00

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 893 $52,535.00 660 $44,245.00
Business and Financial 159 $55,795.00 227 $54,917.00
Computer and Mathematical 95 $80,958.00 48 $56,833.00
Architecture and Engineering 197 $86,767.00 42 $38,393.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 80 $83,000.00 77 $42,467.00
Community and Social Service 56 $7,333.00 142 $38,561.00
Legal 51 $0.00 57 $46,583.00
Educational and Library 150 $42,143.00 558 $32,056.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 121 $34,750.00 118 $31,033.00
Healthcare Practitioners 251 $74,177.00 491 $43,324.00
Healthcare Support 56 $27,639.00 407 $27,938.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 152 $15,648.00 10 $0.00
Law Enforcement 119 $44,595.00 1 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 282 $14,643.00 972 $12,272.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 338 $26,667.00 311 $7,038.00
Personal Care and Service 229 $30,893.00 304 $10,153.00
Sales 685 $71,750.00 813 $19,361.00
Office and Administrative Support 380 $48,664.00 1,090 $22,345.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 144 $7,143.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 1,036 $36,346.00 24 $12,000.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 433 $32,288.00 46 $0.00
Production 470 $47,500.00 225 $26,738.00
Transportation and Material Moving 406 $30,375.00 56 $9,444.00

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 11,109 households in Lawrence County, with an average household size of 2.2 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 6,019 families in Lawrence County with an average family size of 2.84 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 5,080 256 683 5,090
Average Household Size 2.93 2.72 3 1.33
Total Families 5,080 256 683 0
Average Household Size 2.9 2.3 2.64 0

Poverty

Of the 6,019 families in Lawrence County, 5.80% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Lawrence 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 14,082 housing units in Lawrence County, South Dakota.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 11,109 78.89%
Vacant 2,973 21.11%

25.94% of the total 14,082 housing units in Lawrence County are rental units. This is approximately 3,653 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 7,073 are occupied by the owner - or 50.23% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Lawrence County is $837.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Lawrence 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
    383
  • Less than $500
    508
  • $500 to $999
    2,026
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    773
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    296
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    2
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    48
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Lawrence County is $237,200.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    579
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    662
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    694
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    833
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    1,884
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    1,779
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    528
  • $1,000,000 or more
    114

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    3,181
  • 1940 to 1949
    345
  • 1950 to 1959
    912
  • 1960 to 1969
    851
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,746
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,683
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,902
  • 2000 to 2009
    2,188
  • 2010 to 2013
    1,238
  • 2014 or later
    36

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 Lawrence County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    544
  • 1 vehicle available
    3,333
  • 2 vehicles available
    4,186
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    3,046

Commuting to Work

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

18.3 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Lawrence 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
    878
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    3,518
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    2,659
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    1,683
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    1,473
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    276
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    802
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    53
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    124
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    648
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    548
  • 90 or more minutes
    231

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Lawrence 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 Lawrence County, South Dakota

We have data for 5 places in Lawrence County, South Dakota. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.