← Map/← South Dakota/Counties/Mellette

Mellette
South Dakota

Population

$41K

Median Income

—

Median Home

R+20

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$41K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate35.0%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate3.1%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$35,380

Federal Spending per Capita$19,127

Median Individual Earnings$31K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers50.8%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$42K

Avg Credit Score669

Work From Home %5.1%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1829.2%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households34.1%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Income (20th Percentile)$12K

Income (80th Percentile)$87K

Income (95th Percentile)$135K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher14.5%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School18.0%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %2.7%

Dependency Ratio1.50

Medicare Spending / Person$2,430

SS Benefits / Person$2,767

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$48K

Public Assistance Recipients9.2%

Average Annual Wage$37K

Professional Services Concentration0.25x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Market Rent (ZORI)$670/mo

This county

$1150/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate1.62%

This county

1.08% state avg

1.10% national

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$948/mo

Home Value to Income Ratio1.2x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households4.8%

Homeownership Rate56.5%

This county

national avg ~65%

Market Activity

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

74 days

Months of Supply (Redfin)— Low inventory — sellers market

1.0 mo

Sold Above List (Redfin)

0.0%

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

93.0%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy65.9 yrs

This county

national avg ~78.5 years

Food Insecurity22.4%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index3.1 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score16

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score22

Dental Care Shortage Score18

Healthcare Shortage Score18.7

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)46.2%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)31.6%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)31.6%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)37.5%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)38.8%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians0

Nursing Home Rating5.0 / 5

This county

national avg ~3 stars

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients321 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$9,917

Uninsured (under 65)14.9%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression23.6%

Education

Math Test Scores2.51 grade level

Reading Test Scores2.26 grade level

HS Diploma Holders405

Bachelor's Degree Holders145

HS Completion Rate82.0%

This county

national avg ~85%

Safety

Violent Crime Rate4.9 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Traffic Fatalities1

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)86th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)0.0 / 100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale-0.8

January Sunshine0.26

January Temperature-0.87

Average Temp50°F

Avg High Temp63°F

Avg Low Temp37°F

Annual Precipitation20.9 in/yr

Avg Storm Events11.0 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$0K

Drought Index (2022)-0.47

Heating Degree Days6,390 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days1,028 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)7,334 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)868 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year0.0

Avg Flood Events / Year0.8

Avg Hail Events / Year6.8

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)12 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)1 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations17 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)4.6 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)2 properties

FAA-Registered Airports1 total

Airports (excl. heliports)1 airports

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed75 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed73 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)204 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)31 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)8 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)31 ms

Households with 100Mbps+55.6%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet13.0%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)182 Mbps

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers30 workers

Public Transit Commuters0 workers

Walk to Work32 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)2 workers

Walk to Work5.5%

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden28.5%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout52.1%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate0.1%

Income Inequality (Gini)7.549

Nonprofit Organizations13

Veterans Share7.0%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults36.5%

Never-Married Adults40.5%

Divorced Adults16.4%

Native American Population62.9%

Membership Associations0.0 per 10K residents

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$52K

Avg Student Loan Balance$5K

Avg Credit Card Balance$4K

Loan Delinquency Rate38.2%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.00%

Politics

R+20

2024 Presidential · South Dakota was R+27 statewide

vs South Dakota State

Income tax

NoneSame (state law)

Property tax

1.62%1.08% state avg

Politics

R+20R+27

COL Index

County data95 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↓ -18

More people leaving than arriving

IRS Wealth Migration

Wealthier people moving in (IRS: 1.37x avg income)

Economic Mobility

49%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Mellette County

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

Opens in a new tab

Local News — Mellette

USAFacts · Apr 6, 2026

How many people live in Mellette County, SD?

How many people live in Mellette County, SD ? ... In 2025, there were about 2,100 people living in M…

KELOLAND.com · Jan 12, 2026

South Dakota town hit by 1,500% increase in property values

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Recent housing and land sales in Mellette County have county officials al…

AberdeenNews.com · Dec 19, 2025

Mellette sauce, scent makers gain national spotlight in holiday gift guide

A small South Dakota company with decades of local success is now getting national notice. The James…

KCCR-AM · Jun 2, 2026

Polling Places Across Central South Dakota

PIERRE, (KCCR) -- It's Primary Election Day in South Dakota. Voting locations are available in Hughe…

Sioux Falls Live · Apr 16, 2024

Mellette County sheriff loses law enforcement license over relationship with probationer

PIERRE — A South Dakota sheriff is no longer a certified law enforcement officer after an investigat…

SDPB · Nov 23, 2022

The Mellette House | Preserving South Dakota's Pioneer Past

Step inside Watertown's Mellette House, the home of South Dakota's first governor Arthur C. Mellette…

Explore Other South Dakota Counties

Aurora County, South Dakota Beadle County, South Dakota Bennett County, South Dakota Bon Homme County, South Dakota Brookings County, South Dakota Brown County, South Dakota Brule County, South Dakota Buffalo County, South Dakota Butte County, South Dakota Charles Mix County, South Dakota Clark County, South Dakota Clay County, South Dakota All South Dakota counties →

Full South Dakota profile

Taxes, cost of living, crime, schools, gun laws and more.

View South Dakota →

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

MelletteSouth Dakota

Mellette
South Dakota