City profile · South Dakota · Census ACS 2023

Yankton, SD

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

15,501
Residents
$69,071
Median income
$202,300
Median home
$929
Median rent (state)

Yankton - the verdict

Nationally, Yankton sits in the 48th percentile for household income and the 27th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

48th
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
8th
percentile, median rent
27th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Yankton, SD

Yankton is a small town in South Dakota, home to 15,501 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $69,071 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.6%. Typical homes in Yankton are valued around $202,300, and the median resident age is 41.8 years. About 30.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 157 residential building permits were authorized in Yankton (Building Boom), up 138% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2242.3 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 48.7°F with 28.7 inches of precipitation per year and 38.1 inches of snowfall.

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $929 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts South Dakota's average monthly utility costs around $200 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 63.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

15,501 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Dakota

Median Household Income

$69,071 /yr

Poverty 5.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.6 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Dakota average

How does Yankton compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 48% higher than other cities
Home value 43% pricier than other cities
Median rent 8% pricier than other cities
Safety 27% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at South Dakota, Yankton ranks #28 of 34 South Dakota cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

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 Yankton'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.

48thIncome percentile
27thSafety percentile

48th percentile nationally for median household income · 27th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Yankton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Yankton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 50 Avg. percentile National median
Yankton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Yankton's home value compares nationally

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

$202,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Yankton $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 - Yankton, SD Yankton, SD's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Yankton, 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 Yankton, SD median $69,071/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%
Yankton, 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 Yankton, SD. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 30.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.4%

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

Population
15,501
Median Income
$69,071
Median Home Value
$202,300
Median Age
41.8
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Labor force participation
59.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
30.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2242.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
273.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1968.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
48.7°F
Annual Precipitation
28.7"
Annual Snowfall
38.1"

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
15,200 residents15,400 residents15,600 residents15,800 residents16,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,425 residents 15,816 residents ▲ +2.5%
Yankton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
157
housing units authorized
Single-Family
19
detached homes
Multifamily
138
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
10.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 66
2020 86
2021 116
2022 67
2023 150
2024 157

Permit volume increased 138% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.8%
Carpool
6.9%
Public Transit
1.7%
Walk
4.6%
Work from Home
4.5%

Based on 7,483 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 Yankton 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
63.4 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Dakota

Mitchell
15,637 people
Huron
14,347 people
Pierre
14,008 people
Spearfish
12,551 people
Box Elder
12,457 people
Vermillion
11,800 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Yankton's 15,501 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Andover, KS
15,508 people
Batavia, NY
15,494 people
Traverse City, MI
15,491 people
Bemidji, MN
15,490 people
Carthage, MO
15,513 people
Lake Stickney, WA
15,514 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Yankton's $69,071 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Canadian Lakes, MI
$69,069 median income
Dickson, TN
$69,074 median income
Honomu, HI
$69,063 median income
Eagarville, IL
$69,063 median income
Good Hope, IL
$69,063 median income
Olive Hill, KY
$69,063 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Yankton, 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 Yankton, SD - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.1% 7.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.0% White 87.1% Black or African American 2.1% Asian 0.3% American Indian 2.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.6% Two or more races 7.2% 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 Yankton 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
Yankton (this city) 15,501 $69,071
Mitchell 15,637 $56,374
Huron 14,347 $51,556
Pierre 14,008 $74,053
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SD FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Yankton, SD?

What is the population of Yankton, SD? +

Yankton, SD counts 15,501 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Yankton households earn a median of $69,071 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Yankton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Yankton; 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.

Is Yankton, SD safe? +

Yankton has a total crime rate of 2242.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Yankton, SD? +

The median home value in Yankton is $202,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Yankton? +

Yankton has an average annual temperature of 48.7°F, 28.7 inches of precipitation, and 38.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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 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.