Union County, SD

County

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2023 Population

16,916

1.29% 1-year growth

US Senator

John Thune

Republican Party

US Senator

Mike Rounds

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

40.4

0.748% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

7.29%

11.6% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$84,137

2.56% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$269,500

5.73% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

8,654

1.73% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Union County, SD had a population of 16.9k people with a median age of 40.4 and a median household income of $84,137. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Union County, SD grew from 16,700 to 16,916, a 1.29% increase and its median household income grew from $82,036 to $84,137, a 2.56% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Union County, SD are White (Non-Hispanic) (89%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.16%), Two+ (Hispanic) (2%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.41%), and White (Hispanic) (1.4%).

None of the households in Union County, SD reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.6% of the residents in Union County, SD are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Union County, SD was $269,500, and the homeownership rate was 71.3%.

Most people in Union County, SD drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Union County, SD was 2 cars per household.

Union County, SD borders Plymouth County, IA, Sioux County, IA, Woodbury County, IA, Dakota County, NE, Dixon County, NE, Clay County, SD, and Lincoln County, SD.

United States South Dakota Sioux City, IA-NE-SD

Population & Diversity

Union County, SD is home to a population of 16.9k people, from which 98.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 2.31% of Union County, SD residents were born outside of the country (391 people).

In 2023, there were 28.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (15.1k people) in Union County, SD than any other race or ethnicity. There were 534 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 339 Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.6%

2023 Citizenship

98.6%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 98.6% of Union County, SD residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Union County, SD was 98.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Union County, SD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Union County, SD

White (Non-Hispanic)
15.1k ± 195
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
534 ± 215
Two+ (Hispanic)
339 ± 159

4.42%

Hispanic Population

748 people

4.42% of the people in Union County, SD are hispanic (748 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Union County, SD as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for South Dakota.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,032 ± 1,350 people
Guatemala
2,803 ± 1,298 people
Ethiopia
2,418 ± 1,206 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Dakota was Mexico, the natal country of 3,032 South Dakota residents, followed by Guatemala with 2,803 and Ethiopia with 2,418.

Foreign-Born Population

2.31%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

391 people

2.41%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

402 people

As of 2023, 2.31% of Union County, SD residents (391 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Union County, SD was 2.41%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Union County, SD compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
388 ± 102
Gulf War (2001-)
268 ± 105
Gulf War (1990s)
179 ± 135

Union County, SD has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.45 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Union County, SD employs 8.65k people. The largest industries in Union County, SD are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,325 people), Manufacturing (1,125 people), and Construction (804 people), and the highest paying industries are Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($250,001), Utilities ($114,792), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($95,625).

Males in South Dakota have an average income that is 1.29 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,552. The income inequality in South Dakota (measured using the Gini index) is 0.438, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

8.65k

2023 Value

± 610

1.73%

1 Year growth

± 9.81%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Union County, SD grew at a rate of 1.73%, from 8.51k employees to 8.65k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Union County, SD, are Management Occupations (1,311 people), Sales & Related Occupations (890 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (858 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Union County, SD.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Dakota (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

8.65k

2023 Value

± 610

1.73%

1 Year growth

± 9.81%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Union County, SD grew at a rate of 1.73%, from 8.51k employees to 8.65k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Union County, SD, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,325 people), Manufacturing (1,125 people), and Construction (804 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Union County, SD, though some of these residents may live in Union County, SD and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$62,620

Median earning men ± $4,794

$42,393

Median earning women ± $3,705

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($119,236), Information ($85,357), and Wholesale Trade ($81,810).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($81,552), Construction ($72,596), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($59,290).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.

Y-Axis

2.37%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 450k people employed in South Dakota. This represents a 2.37% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 8.96%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Dakota.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

43
Health Care and Social Assistance
42
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
35
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$163k
Management of Companies and Enterprises
$102k
Manufacturing
$94.1k
Wholesale Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.

Measure

In 2022, 0.574% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.482% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Dakota.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (206k), Some college (148k), and Bachelors Degree (133k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Union County, SD was $269,500 in 2023, which is 0.888 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $254,900 to $269,500, a 5.73% increase. The homeownership rate in Union County, SD is 71.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Union County, SD have an average commute time of 18.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Union County, SD is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2023, 8.08% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Union County, SD. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.782%.

Housing

Property

$269,500

Median Property Value 2023

±$15,390

$5,077

Median Property Taxes

±$404

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Union County, SD the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Union County, SD compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

71.3%

Homeownership

2023

65.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 71.3% of the housing units in Union County, SD were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 70%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Union County, SD compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 202
Census Tract 201

The following map shows all of the tracts in Union County, SD colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$84,137

Median Household Income

± $6,432

7.12k

Number of Households

± 538

In 2023, the median household income of the 7.12k households in Union County, SD grew to $84,137 from the previous year's value of $82,036.

The following chart displays the households in Union County, SD distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Union County, SD is from South Dakota.

0.438

2022 Wage GINI in South Dakota

0.439

2021 Wage GINI in South Dakota

In 2022, the income inequality in South Dakota was 0.438 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.26% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Dakota was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Dakota in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Dakota across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (82.5%)
Worked At Home (7.49%)
Carpooled (7.11%)

In 2023, 82.5% of workers in Union County, SD drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (7.49%) and those who carpooled to work (7.11%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

18.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Union County, SD have a shorter commute time (18.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 0.653% of the workforce in Union County, SD have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Union County, SD compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Union County, SD distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Union County, SD have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 8.08% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Union County, SD. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.782%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

7.29% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Union County, SD (1.22k out of 16.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 25 - 34, followed by Females 65 - 74 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Union County, SD is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 5.6% of the children was living in poverty in Union County, SD. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.9%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 146 in Union County, SD. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 122 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

94.8% of the population of Union County, SD has health coverage, with 60.7% on employee plans, 6.23% on Medicaid, 14.3% on Medicare, 12% on non-group plans, and 1.68% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Union County, SD see 1472 patients per year on average, which represents a 10.8% increase from the previous year (1328 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1054 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 2410 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,472 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Union County, SD

Primary care physicians in Union County, SD see an average of 1,472 patients per year. This represents a 10.8% increase from the previous year (1,328 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Union County, SD in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.6% under 18 years, 17.8% between 18 and 34 years, 37.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.1% were men and 49.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.15%

Uninsured

60.7%

Employer Coverage

6.23%

Medicaid

14.3%

Medicare

12%

Non-Group

1.68%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Union County, SD grew by 0.375% from 5.13% to 5.15%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Union County, SD changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.