City · South Dakota
Chamberlain, South Dakota
Chamberlain, city, in Brule County, South Dakota. Chamberlain had 2,453 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,473 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,588 (±218). GEOID 4611220.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,453
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,473 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,588 ±218
Median household income
$76,761
±$8,428 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $75,081
Median home value
$224,300
±$23,773 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $257,400
Median gross rent
$818
±$270 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $946
Where is Chamberlain and what county is it in?
Chamberlain is a city in Brule County, South Dakota. It covers 4.5 square miles of land, 552 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Chamberlain, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,453 people lived in Chamberlain on July 1, 2025, down 0.9% since 2020, while South Dakota grew 5.5%. The 2020 Census counted 2,473 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,588 (±218).
| Measure | Chamberlain | Brule County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,588 ±218 | 5,283 | no clear change |
| Households | 925 ±126 | 1,955 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.49 ±0.26 | 2.52 | +0.38 |
| Housing units | 1,098 ±92 | 2,367 | no clear change |
Chamberlain's population since 2000
From 2,338 in 2000 to 2,453 in 2025: up 4.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Chamberlain as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Chamberlain?
The median resident of Chamberlain is 43.0 years old; 23.1% are under 18 and 23.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 72.6%, then non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 14.2%.
| Measure | Chamberlain | Brule County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 ±7.3 | 41.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.1% ±3.5 pts | 24.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.7% ±3.2 pts | 21.0% | – |
| Male | 50.0% ±4.8 pts | 51.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.8% ±1.0 pts | 2.3% | −1.4 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 72.6% ±3.9 pts | 81.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 14.2% ±5.3 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.0% ±4.9 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.6% ±1.1 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.0% ±2.3 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.2% ±2.0 pts | 4.3% | – |
| With a disability | 15.3% ±3.4 pts | 17.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.1% ±4.4 pts | 6.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.5% ±5.8 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 33.3% ±6.3 pts | 28.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.4% ±3.6 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.9% ±4.5 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.2% ±2.8 pts | 2.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Chamberlain earn?
Half of Chamberlain's 925 households earn less than $76,761 a year (±$8,428), against $73,720 in Brule County and $75,081 in South Dakota. In 2015-2019 it was $67,483 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Chamberlain | Brule County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,761 ±$8,428 | $73,720 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $100,479 ±$18,309 | $92,266 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,971 ±$6,647 | $36,532 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.1% ±7.0 pts | 10.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.1% ±4.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.5% ±4.1 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 87.5% ±6.3 pts | 90.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 77.7% ±7.7 pts | 80.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Chamberlain?
Owners occupy 68.2% of Chamberlain's occupied homes and renters 31.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $224,300 by its owner (±$23,773). The median renter pays $818 a month including utilities, and 26.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Chamberlain | Brule County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $224,300 ±$23,773 | $216,800 | +$30,958 |
| Median gross rent | $818 ±$270 | $835 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 26.7% ±13.1 pts | 31.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,569 ±$179 | $1,450 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.2% ±7.6 pts | 76.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 31.8% ±7.6 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Housing units | 1,098 ±92 | 2,367 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 18.8% ±13.9 pts | 18.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.0% ±7.6 pts | 77.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.7% ±3.1 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.6% ±4.7 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 19.6% ±7.0 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.5% ±5.7 pts | 5.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Chamberlain building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Chamberlain in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 1.6 per 1,000 residents against 5.7 across South Dakota.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Chamberlain work and get to work?
77.0% of Chamberlain's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 13.9 minutes.
| Measure | Chamberlain | Brule County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.3% ±4.9 pts | 63.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% ±3.3 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.0% ±7.4 pts | 70.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.0% ±5.7 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 3.5% ±2.5 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.6% ±3.2 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 13.9 min ±2.8 | 15.5 min | +4.3 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Chamberlain?
1 census tract lies mostly in Chamberlain (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9732Brule County | 2,924 | $76,307 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Chamberlain) · Census block assignment files
How does Chamberlain compare with other places in South Dakota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Chamberlain is the 6,974th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 31st-most populous of 310 in South Dakota.
Chamberlain ranks 34th of 82 places in South Dakota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 31st | 310 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 45th | 73 |
| Residents per square mile | 66th | 84 |
| Median household income | 34th | 82 |
| Per capita income | 37th | 83 |
| Median home value | 41st | 81 |
| Median gross rent | 40th | 72 |
| Poverty rate | 26th | 55 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27th | 81 |
| Median age | 23rd | 83 |
| Owner-occupied share | 48th | 84 |
| Travel time to work | 55th | 84 |
Chamberlain's figures with every place in South Dakota (CSV)
Every place in South Dakota, sortable · Compare Chamberlain with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Chamberlain?
16 of the 57 figures for Chamberlain on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Chamberlain are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Chamberlain.