City profile · South Dakota · Census ACS 2023

Mountain Plains, SD

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

412
Residents
$166,641
Median income
$606,100
Median home
$1,046
Median rent (state)

Mountain Plains - the verdict

Mountain Plains ranks in the 96th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

96th
percentile, household income
89th
percentile, home value
24th
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: Mountain Plains, SD

Mountain Plains is a small town in South Dakota, home to 412 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Mountain Plains brings in $166,641 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Mountain Plains's housing stock carries a median value of $606,100, and the median resident age is 62.6 years. 44.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in South Dakota run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts South Dakota at 88.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,046 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $200 across South Dakota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Mountain Plains workers runs 16.8 minutes, with 95.5% driving alone and 4.5% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 49.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

412 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Dakota

Median Household Income

$166,641 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.6 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Dakota average

How does Mountain Plains compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 96% higher than other cities
Home value 89% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Mountain Plains's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in South Dakota, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

96thIncome percentile

96th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Mountain Plains's home value compares nationally

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

$606,100 11th percentile more affordable than 11% 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%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Mountain Plains $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 - Mountain Plains, SD Mountain Plains, SD's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Mountain Plains, 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 Mountain Plains, SD median $166,641/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%
Mountain Plains, 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 Mountain Plains, SD. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 44.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.0%

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

Population
412
Median Income
$166,641
Median Home Value
$606,100
Median Age
62.6
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
60.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
44.4%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.8 minutes
Drive Alone
95.5%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
4.5%

Based on 247 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 Mountain Plains sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.6
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,046/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
49.3 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Dakota

Lake Poinsett
413 people
Anderson
406 people
Bison
419 people
Hudson
405 people
Keystone
404 people
Langford
402 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Mountain Plains's 412 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hayden, AZ
412 people
Wenden, AZ
412 people
Plumas Eureka, CA
412 people
Martin, KY
412 people
Virgie, KY
412 people
Catahoula, LA
412 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Mountain Plains's $166,641 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Tano Road, NM
$166,649 median income
Alta, WY
$166,667 median income
Watchung, NJ
$166,536 median income
Mountain Meadows, CO
$166,761 median income
South Russell, OH
$166,481 median income
Dunkirk, MD
$166,471 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Mountain Plains, 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 Mountain Plains, SD - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 89.3% 6.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.7% White 89.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 4.4% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 6.3% 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 Mountain Plains 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
Mountain Plains (this city) 412 $166,641
Lake Poinsett 413 $101,136
Anderson 406 $143,705
Bison 419 $62,273
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Mountain Plains, SD?

What is the population of Mountain Plains, SD? +

The population of Mountain Plains, SD stands at 412 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Mountain Plains, SD? +

In Mountain Plains, the typical household earns $166,641 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Mountain Plains? +

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

Mountain Plains's median home value sits at $606,100, 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 Editorial

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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.