City profile · South Dakota · Census ACS 2023

Dakota Dunes, SD

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Dakota Dunes - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,129
Residents
$123,438
Median income
$495,000
Median home
$1,154
Median rent (state)

Dakota Dunes - the verdict

Nationally, Dakota Dunes sits in the 88th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

88th
percentile, household income
85th
percentile, home value
33rd
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Dakota Dunes, SD

4,129 people live in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Dakota Dunes households earn a median of $123,438 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 8.0%. Home values in Dakota Dunes run a median of $495,000, and the median resident age is 42.1 years. Educational attainment runs 60.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in South Dakota run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, South Dakota scores 88.6 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,154 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $200 across South Dakota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 37.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

4,129 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Dakota

Median Household Income

$123,438 /yr

Poverty 8.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.6 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Dakota average

How does Dakota Dunes compare to other US cities?

Dakota Dunes measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 88% higher than other cities
Home value 85% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Dakota Dunes against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to South Dakota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

South Dakota-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Dakota Dunes's strongest outlier among South Dakota cities

Among the 303 South Dakota cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Dakota Dunes ranks #3 - the 99th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Dakota Dunes only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#8 of 285
97th percentile in South Dakota
Median Gross Rent
#56 of 303
80th percentile in South Dakota
Median Home Value
#7 of 263
97th percentile in South Dakota
Poverty Rate
#119 of 302
60th percentile in South Dakota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#3 of 303
99th percentile in South Dakota

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within South Dakota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

88thIncome percentile

88th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Dakota Dunes's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$495,000 15th percentile more affordable than 15% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Dakota Dunes $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Dakota Dunes, SD Dakota Dunes, SD's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Dakota Dunes, SD-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Dakota Dunes, SD median $123,438/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Dakota Dunes, SD's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Dakota Dunes, SD. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 60.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,129
Median Income
$123,438
Median Home Value
$495,000
Median Age
42.1
Poverty Rate
8.0%
Labor force participation
59.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
60.8%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
86.5%
Carpool
6.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
5.8%

Based on 1,852 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for South Dakota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$200
estimated/month

Estimates reflect South Dakota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a South Dakota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Dakota Dunes sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.6
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,154/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
37.1 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Dakota

Dell Rapids
3,947 people
Milbank
3,513 people
Hot Springs
3,506 people
Hartford
3,412 people
Canton
3,060 people
North Sioux City
3,018 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Dakota Dunes's 4,129 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

South Highpoint, FL
4,129 people
Bowling Green, MO
4,130 people
Brookfield, MO
4,128 people
Grafton, ND
4,128 people
Brittany Farms-The Highlands, PA
4,127 people
Hopedale, MA
4,126 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Dakota Dunes's $123,438 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lake St. Louis, MO
$123,427 median income
Watertown, MA
$123,422 median income
Provincetown, MA
$123,456 median income
South Seaville, NJ
$123,409 median income
Lakewood Ranch, FL
$123,471 median income
Catlett, VA
$123,403 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Dakota Dunes, SD Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Dakota Dunes, SD - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.7% 7.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.9% White 88.7% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 3.5% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 7.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Dakota Dunes compares to nearby South Dakota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Dakota Dunes (this city) 4,129 $123,438
Dell Rapids 3,947 $101,250
Milbank 3,513 $58,462
Hot Springs 3,506 $49,688
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Dakota Dunes, SD?

What is the population of Dakota Dunes, SD? +

4,129 people live in Dakota Dunes, SD according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Dakota Dunes, SD? +

The median household income in Dakota Dunes is $123,438 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Dakota Dunes? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Dakota Dunes; the closest available measure is the South Dakota state average, a cost of living index of 88.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within South Dakota vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Dakota Dunes, SD? +

Homes in Dakota Dunes carry a median value of $495,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.