City profile · South Dakota · Census ACS 2023

Emery, SD

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

475
Residents
$62,679
Median income
$125,000
Median home
$929
Median rent (state)

Emery - the verdict

Emery ranks in the 39th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

39th
percentile, household income
19th
percentile, home value
8th
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: Emery, SD

South Dakota's Emery is a small town, with 475 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Emery brings in $62,679 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 2.6%. Typical homes in Emery are valued around $125,000, and the median resident age is 37.8 years. 26.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 70.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 0 residential units were authorized in 2024 (No Permits).

Living costs in South Dakota run below the national norm: the state registers 88.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $929 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts South Dakota's average monthly utility costs around $200 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 14.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

475 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Dakota

Median Household Income

$62,679 /yr

Poverty 2.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.6 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Dakota average

How does Emery compare to other US cities?

Where Emery sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 39% higher than other cities
Home value 19% pricier than other cities
Median rent 8% 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 Emery 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

Median Gross Rent places Emery near the bottom of South Dakota's cities

Among the 303 South Dakota cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Emery ranks #145 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Emery only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#133 of 285
53rd percentile in South Dakota
Median Gross Rent
#145 of 303
0th percentile in South Dakota
Median Home Value
#130 of 263
51st percentile in South Dakota
Poverty Rate
#217 of 302
28th percentile in South Dakota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#85 of 303
72nd 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.

39thIncome percentile

39th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Emery's home value compares nationally

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

$125,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 81% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $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. Emery $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 - Emery, SD Emery, SD's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Emery, 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 Emery, SD median $62,679/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%
Emery, 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 Emery, SD. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 70.0%

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

Population
475
Median Income
$62,679
Median Home Value
$125,000
Median Age
37.8
Poverty Rate
2.6%
Labor force participation
70.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.1%

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
460 residents470 residents480 residents490 residents500 residents 202020212022202320242025 484 residents 465 residents ▼ -3.9%
Emery's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 1
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.9%
Carpool
4.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
5.5%
Work from Home
3.1%
Other
2.8%

Based on 254 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 Emery sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.6
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$929/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
14.8 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Dakota

Kimball
469 people
West Brule
482 people
Dupree
483 people
Wounded Knee
484 people
Boulder Canyon
487 people
Philip
491 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Emery's 475 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Thorne Bay, AK
475 people
Proberta, CA
475 people
Hiltonia, GA
475 people
Leaf River, IL
475 people
Thompsonville, IL
475 people
Badger, IA
475 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Emery's $62,679 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Tingley, IA
$62,679 median income
Deerwood, MN
$62,679 median income
Broadway, NC
$62,679 median income
Newbury, VT
$62,679 median income
Olivia, MN
$62,683 median income
Atlanta, TX
$62,675 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Emery, 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 Emery, SD - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.2% White 94.5% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 5.5% 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 Emery 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
Emery (this city) 475 $62,679
Kimball 469 $60,208
West Brule 482 $34,167
Dupree 483 $48,036
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SD NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Emery, SD?

What is the population of Emery, SD? +

475 people live in Emery, SD according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Emery, SD? +

Median annual household income in Emery runs $62,679, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Emery? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Emery; 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 Emery, SD? +

Homes in Emery carry a median value of $125,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.