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Custer
South Dakota

Population

$76K

Median Income

$516K

Median Home

R+42

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$76K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate9.3%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate2.8%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$41,260

Federal Spending per Capita$988

Median Individual Earnings$45K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers39.0%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$85K

Avg Credit Score701

Work From Home %11.9%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1813.7%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households27.2%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Banks & Finance Firms4

Income (20th Percentile)$32K

Income (80th Percentile)$134K

Income (95th Percentile)$234K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher30.9%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School6.3%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %9.7%

Dependency Ratio1.11

Medicare Spending / Person$3,690

SS Benefits / Person$5,860

Education Wage Premium1.97x

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$51K

Median Earnings (Graduate)$82K

Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$41K

Public Assistance Recipients1.9%

Average Annual Wage$47K

Professional Services Concentration0.51x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Median Home Value$508K

This county

$310K state avg

$303K national

Market Rent (ZORI)$948/mo

This county

$1150/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate0.83%

This county

1.08% state avg

1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $2,439

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$1,173/mo

Home Price Change (1 yr)+8.5%

Home Value to Income Ratio3.3x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households10.5%

Homeownership Rate85.8%

This county

national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast

17.1%

Active Listings

New Listings / Month

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

Days on Market (Redfin)— Slow — buyers have leverage

60 days

Months of Supply (Redfin)— High inventory — buyers market

7.8 mo

Sold Above List (Redfin)

12.5%

Sale-to-List Ratio (Redfin)— Buyers market — homes selling below list

97.0%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy80.9 yrs

This county

national avg ~78.5 years

Food Insecurity9.1%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index8.1 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score0

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score18

Dental Care Shortage Score13

Healthcare Shortage Score10.3

Healthcare Offices11

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)33.6%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)14.4%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)14.6%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)21.9%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)28.3%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians5

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients513 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$11,010

Uninsured (under 65)9.9%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression21.4%

Education

Math Test Scores2.96 grade level

Reading Test Scores2.92 grade level

HS Diploma Holders2,015

Bachelor's Degree Holders635

HS Completion Rate93.6%

This county

national avg ~85%

Safety

Violent Crime Rate2.9 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Firearm Fatality Rate31.8 / 100K

This county

national avg ~13.6/100K

Traffic Fatalities61

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)29th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)12.1 / 100K

Suicide Rate24.5 / 100K

This county

national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale1.0

January Sunshine0.11

January Temperature-0.71

Average Temp47°F

Avg High Temp60°F

Avg Low Temp34°F

Median AQIAQI 43

Good Air Days308 days/yr

Unhealthy Air Days9 days/yr

Annual Precipitation16.8 in/yr

Avg Storm Events36.8 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$244K

Ozone Days303 days/yr

This county

national avg 50 days/yr

Drought Index (2022)-0.74

Heating Degree Days6,946 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days574 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)7,806 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)463 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year0.6

Avg Flood Events / Year1.8

Avg Hail Events / Year26.2

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)58 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)38 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations17 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)3.3 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

National Park Units2 units

Historic Places (NRHP)53 properties

FAA-Registered Airports4 total

Airports (excl. heliports)2 airports

Brewery Scene

Total Breweries1 breweries

Microbreweries0 microbreweries

Brewpubs1 brewpubs

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed146 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed141 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)242 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)269 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)60 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)47 ms

Households with 100Mbps+63.5%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet9.1%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)186 Mbps

EV Infrastructure

EV Charging Stations9 stations

DC Fast Chargers8 chargers

Level 2 EV Chargers16

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers452 workers

Public Transit Commuters5 workers

Walk to Work87 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)152 workers

Avg Commute Time27.4 min

This county

national avg ~27 min

Bike Commuters1.0%

Walk to Work2.3%

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden16.9%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Childcare Centers9.0 per 10K residents

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout73.5%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate1.0%

Income Inequality (Gini)4.228

Nonprofit Organizations112

Veterans Share14.9%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults65.0%

Never-Married Adults17.2%

Divorced Adults11.3%

Religious Organizations10

Asian Population0.5%

Native American Population2.1%

Membership Associations11.6 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants1.77 per 1K residents

Arts & Entertainment Venues3

Hotels & Lodging33

Recreation Businesses4

Professional Services Firms22

Veterinary Practices3

Real Estate Firms11

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$83K

Avg Student Loan Balance$11K

Avg Credit Card Balance$5K

Loan Delinquency Rate32.3%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.13%

Politics

R+42

2024 Presidential · South Dakota was R+27 statewide

vs South Dakota State

Income tax

NoneSame (state law)

Property tax

0.83%1.08% state avg

Politics

R+42R+27

COL Index

County data95 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↑ +107

More people arriving than leaving

IRS Wealth Migration

Wealthier people moving in (IRS: 1.27x avg income)

Economic Mobility

52%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Custer County

Median home value: $516K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Local News — Custer

KBHB Radio · 3 days ago

Custer County Search & Rescue has busy weekend

CUSTER, S.D. - Custer County Search and Rescue was busy on Saturday, responding to multiple calls. T…

South Dakota Searchlight · Jan 9, 2026

Custer State Park officials urge visitors to ‘stay safe' as wind damage assessment, cleanup continue

Custer State Park's main highways and trails are open to visitors after last month's high-speed wind…

Cowboy State Daily · 2 weeks ago

RV Driver Tries To Scrape Through South Dakota Needles Eye Tunnel, Gets Stuck

A couple was videotaping the Needles Eye Tunnel in South Dakota's Custer State Park on Friday when a…

Rapid City Journal · Mar 17, 2026

Qury wildfire update: Tuesday winds 'will test firelines' that held overnight

The Qury wildfire near Custer holds fast at 8,434 acres and 27% containment as of the morning of Tue…

Ballotpedia · Apr 25, 2026

Shannon Shields (Custer County Commissioner, At Large, South Dakota, candidate 2026)

Shannon Shields (Custer County Commissioner, At Large, South Dakota, candidate 2026) ... Shannon Shi…

The Mighty 790 KFGO · Mar 16, 2026

Wildfire near Custer damages 10 properties, authorities say

CUSTER, S.D. (South Dakota Searchlight) - A wildfire that's grown to more than 11 square miles near …

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

CusterSouth Dakota

Custer
South Dakota