City · South Dakota
Mission, South Dakota
Mission, city, in Todd County, South Dakota. Mission had 1,101 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,156 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,539 (±355). GEOID 4642940.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,101
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,156 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,539 ±355
Median household income
not published
South Dakota: $75,081
Median home value
$65,900
±$16,806 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $257,400
Median gross rent
$432
±$107 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $946
Where is Mission and what county is it in?
Mission is a city in Todd County, South Dakota. It covers 0.6 square miles of land, 1,969 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 Mission, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,101 people lived in Mission on July 1, 2025, down 4.5% since 2020, while South Dakota grew 5.5%. The 2020 Census counted 1,156 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,539 (±355).
| Measure | Mission | Todd County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,539 ±355 | 9,244 | no clear change |
| Households | 464 ±108 | 2,544 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.24 ±0.46 | 3.57 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 528 ±108 | 2,879 | no clear change |
Mission's population since 2000
From 904 in 2000 to 1,101 in 2025: up 21.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Mission 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 Mission?
The median resident of Mission is 24.9 years old; 37.4% are under 18 and 6.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 74.3%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 11.9%.
| Measure | Mission | Todd County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.9 ±3.6 | 25.5 | +7.1 |
| Under 18 years | 37.4% ±5.9 pts | 38.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 6.4% ±2.5 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Male | 48.8% ±5.4 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.1% ±1.5 pts | 2.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 11.9% ±5.1 pts | 8.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±1.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.4 pts | 3.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 74.3% ±8.6 pts | 81.6% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 10.5% ±6.5 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.9% ±1.6 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 22.9% ±7.6 pts | 39.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.6% ±4.2 pts | 5.3% | – |
| With a disability | 12.3% ±5.0 pts | 12.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 16.8% ±5.0 pts | 22.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 83.9% ±6.1 pts | 83.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.9% ±5.9 pts | 16.6% | +7.3 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.8% ±2.4 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.6% ±4.3 pts | 95.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.1% ±2.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
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 Mission earn?
The Census Bureau does not publish a median household income for Mission: too few households were sampled.
| Measure | Mission | Todd County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean household income | $45,736 ±$9,675 | $54,343 | – |
| Per capita income | $16,666 ±$3,490 | $15,388 | +$4,768 |
| People below the poverty line | 44.0% ±11.6 pts | 48.4% | −14.7 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 58.3% ±14.7 pts | 57.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 49.6% ±10.4 pts | 40.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 82.8% ±10.5 pts | 82.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 67.2% ±10.9 pts | 75.2% | – |
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 Mission?
Owners occupy 49.4% of Mission's occupied homes and renters 50.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $65,900 by its owner (±$16,806). The median renter pays $432 a month including utilities, and 44.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Mission | Todd County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $65,900 ±$16,806 | $53,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $432 ±$107 | $532 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 44.9% ±17.3 pts | 23.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $934 ±$208 | $1,121 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 49.4% ±9.9 pts | 46.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 50.6% ±9.9 pts | 53.7% | – |
| Housing units | 528 ±108 | 2,879 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.3% ±6.0 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 41.9% ±9.5 pts | 64.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 13.4% ±4.7 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.4% ±2.8 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.4% ±3.8 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 20.5% ±8.8 pts | 12.8% | – |
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 Mission building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Mission in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 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 Mission work and get to work?
81.8% of Mission's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 14.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 26.5%.
| Measure | Mission | Todd County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.2% ±8.0 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 26.5% ±10.1 pts | 18.7% | +17.0 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 81.8% ±8.4 pts | 76.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 16.5% ±6.7 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.7% ±5.8 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.0 min ±3.8 | 16.7 min | no clear change |
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 Mission?
No census tract lies mostly in Mission; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9402Todd County | 5,074 | $39,476 |
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 Mission) · Census block assignment files
How does Mission compare with other places in South Dakota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Mission is the 9,895th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 62nd-most populous of 310 in South Dakota.
Mission is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 62nd | 310 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 68th | 73 |
| Residents per square mile | 3rd | 84 |
| Per capita income | 78th | 83 |
| Median home value | 79th | 81 |
| Median gross rent | 72nd | 72 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd | 55 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75th | 81 |
| Median age | 78th | 83 |
| Owner-occupied share | 77th | 84 |
| Travel time to work | 54th | 84 |
Mission's figures with every place in South Dakota (CSV)
Every place in South Dakota, sortable · Compare Mission 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 Mission?
15 of the 56 figures for Mission 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 Mission 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 Mission.