Census-designated place · South Dakota
North Spearfish, South Dakota
North Spearfish, census-designated place, in Lawrence County, South Dakota. North Spearfish had 2,366 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,858 (±446). GEOID 4645715.
Residents, 2020 Census
2,366
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 1,858 ±446
Median household income
$76,809
±$20,031 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $75,081
Median home value
$356,200
±$36,540 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $257,400
Median gross rent
$1,264
±$314 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $946
Where is North Spearfish and what county is it in?
North Spearfish is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Lawrence County, South Dakota. It covers 4.3 square miles of land, 553 residents per square mile in 2020.
North Spearfish is in the Spearfish, SD micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in North Spearfish, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 2,366 residents in North Spearfish, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 1,858 (±446).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; North Spearfish is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | North Spearfish | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,858 ±446 | 27,233 | no clear change |
| Households | 800 ±182 | 12,054 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.32 ±0.28 | 2.18 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 868 ±193 | 14,840 | no clear change |
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 North Spearfish?
The median resident of North Spearfish is 40.3 years old; 21.4% are under 18 and 27.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 2.9%.
| Measure | North Spearfish | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 ±12.5 | 44.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.4% ±9.3 pts | 16.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 27.4% ±8.8 pts | 25.0% | – |
| Male | 58.7% ±9.6 pts | 50.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.9% ±3.5 pts | 3.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.5% ±5.3 pts | 88.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±2.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±3.1 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.1% ±3.5 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.8% ±5.2 pts | 10.4% | – |
| With a disability | 17.1% ±6.9 pts | 16.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.9% ±3.1 pts | 8.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 100.0% ±2.1 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 28.5% ±8.6 pts | 32.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.9% ±5.8 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.7% ±9.2 pts | 86.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.8% ±2.0 pts | 3.9% | – |
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 North Spearfish earn?
Half of North Spearfish's 800 households earn less than $76,809 a year (±$20,031), against $73,384 in Lawrence County and $75,081 in South Dakota. In 2015-2019 it was $62,271 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | North Spearfish | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,809 ±$20,031 | $73,384 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $91,721 ±$23,924 | $94,174 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,890 ±$10,825 | $44,386 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 23.2% ±16.4 pts | 11.6% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 48.9% ±39.9 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.9% ±5.4 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.6% ±2.2 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 98.6% ±2.2 pts | 89.6% | – |
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 North Spearfish?
Owners occupy 78.1% of North Spearfish's occupied homes and renters 21.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $356,200 by its owner (±$36,540). The median renter pays $1,264 a month including utilities.
| Measure | North Spearfish | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $356,200 ±$36,540 | $346,500 | +$122,737 |
| Median gross rent | $1,264 ±$314 | $938 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 8.0% ±14.3 pts | 29.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,645 ±$84 | $1,693 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.1% ±12.6 pts | 65.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.9% ±12.6 pts | 34.9% | – |
| Housing units | 868 ±193 | 14,840 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 6.4% ±9.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±13.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 68.8% ±12.0 pts | 64.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 24.1% ±10.5 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 6.0% ±5.6 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.6% ±5.8 pts | 15.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.8% ±3.1 pts | 18.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 4.8% | – |
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 do people in North Spearfish work and get to work?
79.9% of North Spearfish's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 17.5 minutes.
| Measure | North Spearfish | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.8% ±8.2 pts | 63.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 79.9% ±6.0 pts | 76.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.2% ±5.5 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.2% ±4.9 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.5 min ±2.7 | 19.1 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 North Spearfish?
No census tract lies mostly in North Spearfish; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9663.01Lawrence County | 6,078 | $89,242 |
| Tract 9663.03Lawrence County | 3,096 | $63,608 |
| Tract 9662Lawrence County | 4,215 | $51,172 |
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 North Spearfish) · Census block assignment files
How does North Spearfish compare with other places in South Dakota?
North Spearfish ranks 33rd of 82 places in South Dakota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 51st | 84 |
| Residents per square mile | 65th | 84 |
| Median household income | 33rd | 82 |
| Per capita income | 35th | 83 |
| Median home value | 11th | 81 |
| Median gross rent | 4th | 72 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38th | 81 |
| Median age | 34th | 83 |
| Owner-occupied share | 28th | 84 |
| Travel time to work | 36th | 84 |
North Spearfish's figures with every place in South Dakota (CSV)
Every place in South Dakota, sortable · Compare North Spearfish 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 North Spearfish?
27 of the 57 figures for North Spearfish 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 North Spearfish 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' school search.