County · South Dakota

Codington County, South Dakota

Codington County, South Dakota. Codington County had 29,562 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.4% since 2020, slower than South Dakota (+5.5%). It holds 24 places (6 cities, villages and boroughs, 17 towns and townships and 1 census-designated) and 8 census tracts. GEOID 46029.

Codington County is the county of the Watertown, SD micropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).

Residents, July 2025 estimate

29,562

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 28,325 · ACS 2020-2024: 28,767

Median household income

$72,727

±$4,778 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $75,081

Median home value

$237,700

±$15,323 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $257,400

Median gross rent

$938

±$46 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $946

How many people live in Codington County, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 28,325 residents in Codington County. The Census Bureau estimates 29,562 for July 1, 2025, up 4.4% since 2020, slower than South Dakota (+5.5%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 28,767 over 688 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 +144 (28,497)
2021→2022 +259 (28,756)
2022→2023 +202 (28,958)
2023→2024 +312 (29,270)
2024→2025 +292 (29,562)

Codington County in South Dakota. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Codington County	South Dakota	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	28,767	907,428	+741
Households	12,526±269	365,544	+451
Average household size	2.25±0.05	2.39	no clear change
Housing units	13,533±63	408,584	+417

Codington County's population since 2000

From 25,897 in 2000 to 29,562 in 2025: up 14.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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.

2000 Census 25,897
2005 (estimate) 26,364
2010 Census 27,227
2015 (estimate) 27,907
2020 Census 28,325
2025 (estimate) 29,562

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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov

What cities and towns are in Codington County?

Codington County holds 24 places: 6 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places), 17 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government) and 1 census-designated place. The largest is Watertown with 23,736 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.

Places in Codington County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Watertown	city	22,655	23,044±23	$69,600	$229,400	9.0%	100%
Pelican TownshipGEOID 4602948980	township	726	1,064±254	$98,977	$346,700	17.8%	100%
Lake Township, Codington CountyGEOID 4602934860	township	641	851±376	$106,830	$349,600	8.6%	100%
Sheridan TownshipGEOID 4602958420	township	481	445±224	$107,500	$264,500	1.9%	100%
Elmira TownshipGEOID 4602919020	township	450	345±118	$109,167	$450,000	0.0%	100%
Florence	town	337	317±77	$75,909	$158,700	9.8%	100%
Kranzburg TownshipGEOID 4602934380	township	330	360±146	$80,625	$290,500	6.1%	100%
Kampeska TownshipGEOID 4602933300	township	296	227±85	$92,639	$346,900	0.0%	100%
Fuller Township	township	281	245±73	$125,833	$277,600	1.6%	100%
Rauville TownshipGEOID 4602953100	township	271	196±87	not published	$351,900	1.5%	100%
HenryGEOID 4628140	town	256	237±100	$27,158	$84,900	3.8%	100%
Waverly Township, Codington CountyGEOID 4602969460	township	200	250±137	$89,583	$314,300	0.8%	100%
Dexter TownshipGEOID 4602916500	township	193	186±73	$75,750	$276,500	0.0%	100%
South ShoreGEOID 4659940	town	189	183±85	$56,944	$86,800	20.0%	100%
Germantown Township, Codington CountyGEOID 4602924180	township	174	50±29	not published	$583,300	26.0%	100%
KranzburgGEOID 4634340	town	163	175±59	$74,375	$156,600	8.6%	100%
Richland Township, Codington CountyGEOID 4602954620	township	155	112±57	not published	$347,900	0.0%	100%
Eden Township, Codington CountyGEOID 4602918060	township	123	79±60	$68,929	$181,300	5.1%	100%
Henry Township, Codington CountyGEOID 4602928180	township	104	79±41	not published	$237,500	19.0%	100%
WallaceGEOID 4668420	town	91	66±40	$55,000	$86,700	4.5%	100%
Graceland TownshipGEOID 4602924980	township	89	111±51	not published	$262,500	20.7%	100%
Phipps TownshipGEOID 4602949340	township	72	65±49	not published	not published	10.8%	100%
Leola TownshipGEOID 4602936420	township	48	80±75	not published	not published	3.8%	100%
WaverlyGEOID 4669420	CDP	22	7±7	not published	not published	0.0%	100%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Codington County?

The median resident of Codington County is 40.4 years old; 23.0% are under 18 and 19.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 3.3%. 1.3% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin and education, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure	Codington County	South Dakota	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	40.4±1.1	38.0	+1.3
Under 18 years	23.0%±0.3 pts	24.2%	–
65 years and over	19.6%±0.2 pts	18.0%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3.3%	4.8%	+1.0 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	90.4%±0.6 pts	79.8%	−2.4 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	0.7%±0.3 pts	2.1%	no clear change
Asian alone, not Hispanic	0.6%±0.3 pts	1.4%	no clear change
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	1.9%±0.3 pts	7.1%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.0%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	2.8%±0.6 pts	4.4%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.4%±0.5 pts	0.3%	–
Born outside the United States	1.3%±0.5 pts	4.0%	no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	3.0%±1.2 pts	7.1%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	7.1%±1.2 pts	7.9%	–
With a disability	10.6%±1.4 pts	12.5%	–
No health insurance coverage	6.3%±1.2 pts	9.0%	no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	93.9%±1.1 pts	93.2%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	21.4%±2.3 pts	31.9%	no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	5.7%±1.4 pts	10.0%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	2.7%±0.8 pts	3.2%	–

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 Codington County earn?

Half of Codington County's 12,526 households earn less than $72,727 a year (±$4,778), against $75,081 in South Dakota. In 2015-2019 it was $69,382 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.8% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Codington County	South Dakota	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$72,727±$4,778	$75,081	no clear change
Mean household income	$90,805±$6,420	$98,527	–
Per capita income	$39,825±$2,586	$40,550	no clear change
People below the poverty line	8.8%±1.3 pts	11.9%	−4.1 pts
Children under 18 below the poverty line	6.3%±2.5 pts	14.3%	−9.7 pts
Households receiving SNAP	5.0%±1.2 pts	7.9%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	87.6%±2.4 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 Codington County?

Owners occupy 69.8% of Codington County's occupied homes and renters 30.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $237,700 by its owner (±$15,323). The median renter pays $938 a month including utilities, and 28.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Codington County	South Dakota	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$237,700±$15,323	$257,400	+$22,944
Median gross rent	$938±$46	$946	no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	28.4%±5.2 pts	30.4%	−10.7 pts
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,526±$93	$1,680	–
Owner-occupied homes	69.8%±3.1 pts	68.6%	+4.5 pts
Housing units	13,533±63	408,584	+417
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.6%±0.6 pts	0.8%	–
Rental vacancy rate	4.6%±2.9 pts	6.0%	–
Single-family detached homes	69.1%±3.4 pts	66.9%	–
Mobile homes	7.7%±1.7 pts	7.2%	–
Built 2020 or later	2.5%±0.8 pts	2.3%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	17.8%±2.3 pts	15.8%	–

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 Codington County building?

Builders took permits for 142 new housing units across Codington County in 2025 (92 single-family), 4.8 per 1,000 residents.

2019 88 units
2020 90 units
2021 267 units
2022 143 units
2023 131 units
2024 159 units
2025 142 units

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Codington County get to work?

83.7% of Codington County's workers drive alone and 5.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 14.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 1.9%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Codington County	South Dakota	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	68.2%±1.8 pts	67.2%	–
Unemployment rate	1.9%±1.0 pts	2.9%	no clear change
Drove alone to work	83.7%±2.4 pts	77.0%	–
Carpooled	8.4%±2.1 pts	8.3%	–
Public transportation	0.5%±0.4 pts	0.5%	–
Walked	1.3%±0.5 pts	3.1%	–
Worked from home	5.6%±1.3 pts	9.7%	no clear change
Mean travel time to work	14.1 min±1.0	17.8 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 are Codington County's census tracts?

Codington County is divided into 8 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $43,449 (Tract 9544.02) to $97,652 (Tract 9543.02).

Census tracts of Codington County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; sort by any column

Tract 954146029954100	Watertown (9%)	3,620	3,508±321	$90,347	$315,700	$1,241	4.7%
Tract 9543.0146029954301	Watertown (94%)	4,495	4,459±473	$58,404	$201,100	$850	11.2%
Tract 9543.0246029954302	Watertown (97%)	5,403	5,865±651	$97,652	$284,800	$1,383	4.4%
Tract 9544.0146029954401	Watertown	2,780	2,610±453	$72,996	$202,700	$865	14.6%
Tract 9544.0246029954402	Watertown	2,403	2,659±423	$43,449	$147,400	$730	10.4%
Tract 9545.0146029954501	Watertown (63%)	2,298	2,595±336	$71,667	$95,700	$1,009	14.3%
Tract 9545.0246029954502	Watertown (81%)	4,949	4,747±459	$86,765	$255,400	$1,021	10.3%
Tract 954646029954600	Florence (6%)	2,377	2,324±302	$81,442	$243,100	$828	4.2%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov

How does Codington County compare with South Dakota's other counties?

Codington County's rank among South Dakota's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	7th of 66
Growth 2020-2025	15th of 66
Residents per square mile	6th of 66
Median household income	33rd of 66
Median home value	12th of 66
Median gross rent	14th of 65
Poverty rate	45th of 65
Bachelor's degree or higher	47th of 66
Median age	37th of 66

Every county in South Dakota

Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 Codington County 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.