Union County, South Dakota Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Union 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 Union County, South Dakota. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Union County, South Dakota. The estimated population of Union County, South Dakota is 16,424 people, with a median age of 39.7.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
16,424
+4.89%
+10.01%
2020
15,659
+1.89%
-
2019
15,368
+1.26%
-
2018
15,177
+1.66%
-
2017
14,929
 - -

Population of Union 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
90.4%
92.8%
 -2.59%
Black/African American
0.4%
0.7%
 -42.86%
Native
1%
0.6%
 +66.67%
Hispanic
3.8%
3%
 +26.67%
Asian
1.5%
1%
 +50.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.9%
1.9%
 +52.63%
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 Union 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 39.7 -1.24% 37.8 -1.56% 42.1 -0.71%
2020 40.2 +0.5% 38.4 -1.03% 42.4 +2.91%
2019 40 -1.48% 38.8 -3% 41.2 -1.44%
2018 40.6 -1.22% 40 0% 41.8 -2.34%
2017 41.1 - 40 - 42.8 -

The median age of Union 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 9 950 +7.07% 859 +22.11% 1,017 1,058
10 to 19 1,112 +17.53% 1,087 -4.15% 1,303 1,039
20 to 29 749 +22.51% 679 +12.56% 928 767
30 to 39 952 +23.26% 854 +13.26% 1,187 964
40 to 49 963 -4.44% 1,036 +5.68% 910 1,089
50 to 59 1,188 -15.4% 1,052 +3.99% 1,013 1,094
60 to 69 896 +23.11% 891 +14.84% 1,119 1,022
70+ 715 +24.39% 946 +7.18% 900 1,014

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Union County, South Dakota is $80,238.00.

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 Union County.

  • Under 25
    $72,837.00
  • 25 to 44
    $82,722.00
  • 45 to 64
    $104,898.00
  • 65 and over
    $51,471.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Union 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 Union County, South Dakota is currently $107,653.00.

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.

10.35% of households in Union 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 Union County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    13.03%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    17.27%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    16.68%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.10%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    19.73%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    8.85%
  • $200,000 or more
    10.35%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Union County is $45,474.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Union 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 Union 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
    13.66%
  • Bachelor's degree
    35.06%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    9.61%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    39.77%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.91%

Employment

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

The total population of Union County over the age of 16 is 12,794.

Of those people, a total of 67.80% 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 Union County is 65.30%.

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 787 55.80% 23.00%
20 to 24 years 777 81.00% 2.50%
25 to 29 years 918 90.40% 7.50%
30 to 34 years 1,114 86.20% 2.20%
35 to 44 years 2,078 89.80% 1.20%
45 to 54 years 1,971 88.90% 1.90%
55 to 59 years 1,094 85.40% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 1,108 65.20% 2.90%
65 to 74 years 1,807 24.60% 1.80%
75 years and over 1,140 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 Union 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 11,984 66.80% 2.80%
Black or African American 68 94.10% 32.80%
American Indian and Alaska Native 132 69.70% 0.00%
Asian 214 91.60% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 123 95.10% 30.80%
Two or more races 273 71.40% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 464 74.60% 18.80%
Not Hispanic or Latino 11,801 66.60% 2.50%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Union 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 Union County is 8,349, with median earnings of $46,863.00.

Women in Union County, South Dakota earning approximately 64.30% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 8,349 $46,863.00
Male 4,644 $57,657.00
Female 3,705 $37,056.00

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 1,149 $88,050.00
Business and Financial 407 $61,577.00
Computer and Mathematical 84 $37,083.00
Architecture and Engineering 172 $82,839.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 55 $35,433.00
Community and Social Service 70 $53,333.00
Legal 102 $79,677.00
Educational and Library 421 $41,117.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 218 $52,143.00
Healthcare Practitioners 696 $74,500.00
Healthcare Support 247 $31,815.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 51 $38,445.00
Law Enforcement 67 $35,750.00
Food Preparation and Serving 213 $16,938.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 201 $27,750.00
Personal Care and Service 217 $16,058.00
Sales 807 $52,008.00
Office and Administrative Support 1,048 $39,468.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 160 $35,484.00
Construction and Extraction 317 $52,847.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 262 $51,842.00
Production 651 $39,715.00
Transportation and Material Moving 483 $39,510.00

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 919 $89,343.00 230 $49,688.00
Business and Financial 200 $83,684.00 207 $39,531.00
Computer and Mathematical 51 $76,875.00 33 $21,528.00
Architecture and Engineering 163 $82,648.00 9 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 21 $15,469.00 34 $36,058.00
Community and Social Service 20 $61,250.00 50 $53,333.00
Legal 47 $250,001.00 55 $77,782.00
Educational and Library 75 $56,116.00 346 $40,533.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 135 $63,528.00 83 $16,650.00
Healthcare Practitioners 169 $209,367.00 527 $59,693.00
Healthcare Support 15 $0.00 232 $31,371.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 41 $0.00 10 $0.00
Law Enforcement 5 $0.00 62 $35,571.00
Food Preparation and Serving 74 $18,043.00 139 $16,313.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 91 $36,094.00 110 $17,000.00
Personal Care and Service 102 $31,250.00 115 $16,058.00
Sales 490 $62,000.00 317 $23,472.00
Office and Administrative Support 326 $58,850.00 722 $35,405.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 148 $35,968.00 12 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 255 $46,645.00 62 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 262 $51,842.00 0 $0.00
Production 427 $44,028.00 224 $34,286.00
Transportation and Material Moving 452 $38,986.00 31 $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 6,839 households in Union County, with an average household size of 2.39 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 4,606 families in Union County with an average family size of 2.88 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 3,844 334 428 2,233
Average Household Size 2.92 3.23 3.09 1.2
Total Families 3,844 334 428 0
Average Household Size 2.92 2.57 2.81 0

Poverty

Of the 4,606 families in Union County, 7.10% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Union 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 7,143 housing units in Union County, South Dakota.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 6,839 95.74%
Vacant 304 4.26%

27.57% of the total 7,143 housing units in Union County are rental units. This is approximately 1,969 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 4,763 are occupied by the owner - or 66.68% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Union County is $943.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Union 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
    107
  • Less than $500
    268
  • $500 to $999
    816
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    815
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    26
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    39
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    5
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Union County is $221,300.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    295
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    454
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    688
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    680
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    1,185
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    1,043
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    390
  • $1,000,000 or more
    28

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,230
  • 1940 to 1949
    235
  • 1950 to 1959
    375
  • 1960 to 1969
    375
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,065
  • 1980 to 1989
    409
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,254
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,264
  • 2010 to 2013
    934
  • 2014 or later
    2

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 Union County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    155
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,980
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,503
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,201

Commuting to Work

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

18.8 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Union 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
    608
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,512
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    1,121
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    1,359
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    1,092
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    267
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    621
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    267
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    190
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    482
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    201
  • 90 or more minutes
    43

Summary

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

We have data for 15 places in Union County, South Dakota. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.