County · South Dakota

Yankton County, South Dakota

Yankton County, South Dakota. Yankton County had 23,635 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.4% since 2020, slower than South Dakota (+5.5%). It holds 17 places (7 cities, villages and boroughs, 9 towns and townships and 1 census-designated) and 5 census tracts. GEOID 46135.

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

Residents, July 2025 estimate

23,635

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 23,310 · ACS 2020-2024: 23,414

Median household income

$72,821

±$7,170 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $75,081

Median home value

$225,900

±$15,221 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $257,400

Median gross rent

$781

±$58 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $946

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

The 2020 Census counted 23,310 residents in Yankton County. The Census Bureau estimates 23,635 for July 1, 2025, up 1.4% since 2020, slower than South Dakota (+5.5%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 23,414 over 521 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 +68 (23,359)
2021→2022 +59 (23,418)
2022→2023 +87 (23,505)
2023→2024 +72 (23,577)
2024→2025 +58 (23,635)

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

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Yankton County	South Dakota	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	23,414	907,428	+697
Households	9,695±258	365,544	no clear change
Average household size	2.22±0.06	2.39	no clear change
Housing units	10,616±35	408,584	+506

Yankton County's population since 2000

From 21,652 in 2000 to 23,635 in 2025: up 9.2%. 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 21,652
2005 (estimate) 21,871
2010 Census 22,438
2015 (estimate) 22,702
2020 Census 23,310
2025 (estimate) 23,635

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 Yankton County?

Yankton County holds 17 places: 7 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places), 9 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government) and 1 census-designated place. The largest is Yankton with 15,816 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 Yankton County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Yankton	city	15,411	15,540±39	$67,804	$222,700	14.1%	100%
Utica TownshipGEOID 4613565820	township	746	831±186	$41,827	$233,800	20.9%	100%
Gayville	town	382	519±130	$79,375	$99,300	4.0%	100%
Mission Hill TownshipGEOID 4613543020	township	379	111±67	$89,886	$239,600	12.6%	100%
Volin TownshipGEOID 4613567820	township	261	309±160	$101,542	$408,500	1.0%	100%
Jamesville TownshipGEOID 4613532380	township	220	302±171	$151,250	$221,400	11.8%	100%
Gayville TownshipGEOID 4613523940	township	203	224±97	$64,143	$144,800	5.8%	100%
Mission HillGEOID 4642980	town	190	200±96	$71,250	$104,200	5.5%	100%
Mayfield TownshipGEOID 4613541540	township	178	104±58	$49,205	$228,100	22.1%	100%
Walshtown TownshipGEOID 4613568540	township	167	290±147	$73,558	$317,200	14.1%	100%
Marindahl TownshipGEOID 4613540820	township	162	151±71	$90,500	not published	0.0%	100%
VolinGEOID 4667780	town	158	139±53	$112,557	$115,600	2.9%	100%
Turkey Valley TownshipGEOID 4613564460	township	158	127±62	$122,679	$528,400	3.1%	100%
LestervilleGEOID 4636540	town	115	91±32	$56,250	$70,800	7.7%	100%
Jamesville ColonyGEOID 4632388	CDP	110	101±11	not published	not published	37.1%	100%
UticaGEOID 4665780	town	70	68±36	$51,000	$52,500	4.4%	100%
Irene	city	422	456±104	$66,563	$87,300	3.7%	1%

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 Yankton County?

The median resident of Yankton County is 42.5 years old; 21.2% are under 18 and 21.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.9%. 2.9% 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	Yankton County	South Dakota	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	42.5±0.6	38.0	no clear change
Under 18 years	21.2%±0.4 pts	24.2%	–
65 years and over	21.4%±0.2 pts	18.0%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	5.9%	4.8%	+1.4 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	86.9%±0.4 pts	79.8%	−1.5 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	1.6%±0.4 pts	2.1%	no clear change
Asian alone, not Hispanic	0.3%±0.2 pts	1.4%	–
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	2.1%±0.6 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	3.3%±0.7 pts	4.4%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.3%	–
Born outside the United States	2.9%±0.7 pts	4.0%	no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	5.7%±1.1 pts	7.1%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	7.5%±1.5 pts	7.9%	–
With a disability	14.8%±1.9 pts	12.5%	–
No health insurance coverage	5.6%±1.5 pts	9.0%	no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	93.6%±1.5 pts	93.2%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	31.4%±2.9 pts	31.9%	+5.7 pts
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	11.5%±1.9 pts	10.0%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	3.7%±1.3 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 Yankton County earn?

Half of Yankton County's 9,695 households earn less than $72,821 a year (±$7,170), against $75,081 in South Dakota. In 2015-2019 it was $71,801 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.9% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Yankton County	South Dakota	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$72,821±$7,170	$75,081	no clear change
Mean household income	$95,237±$10,050	$98,527	–
Per capita income	$41,047±$3,858	$40,550	no clear change
People below the poverty line	11.9%±2.6 pts	11.9%	no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line	16.5%±6.0 pts	14.3%	no clear change
Households receiving SNAP	7.3%±2.0 pts	7.9%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	86.1%±2.7 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 Yankton County?

Owners occupy 72.7% of Yankton County's occupied homes and renters 27.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $225,900 by its owner (±$15,221). The median renter pays $781 a month including utilities, and 27.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Yankton County	South Dakota	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$225,900±$15,221	$257,400	+$43,388
Median gross rent	$781±$58	$946	no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	27.1%±6.2 pts	30.4%	no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,479±$109	$1,680	–
Owner-occupied homes	72.7%±3.6 pts	68.6%	+7.5 pts
Housing units	10,616±35	408,584	+506
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.4%±0.7 pts	0.8%	–
Rental vacancy rate	14.0%±5.6 pts	6.0%	–
Single-family detached homes	70.1%±3.5 pts	66.9%	–
Mobile homes	4.6%±1.5 pts	7.2%	–
Built 2020 or later	0.6%±0.5 pts	2.3%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	14.4%±2.4 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 Yankton County building?

Builders took permits for 90 new housing units across Yankton County in 2025 (37 single-family), 3.8 per 1,000 residents.

2019 90 units
2020 113 units
2021 150 units
2022 95 units
2023 182 units
2024 179 units
2025 90 units

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

How do people in Yankton County get to work?

78.5% of Yankton County's workers drive alone and 6.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 1.4%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Yankton County	South Dakota	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	61.9%±1.9 pts	67.2%	–
Unemployment rate	1.4%±0.8 pts	2.9%	−2.0 pts
Drove alone to work	78.5%±3.1 pts	77.0%	–
Carpooled	9.4%±2.2 pts	8.3%	–
Public transportation	1.7%±1.1 pts	0.5%	–
Walked	3.3%±1.3 pts	3.1%	–
Worked from home	6.2%±2.0 pts	9.7%	no clear change
Mean travel time to work	15.3 min±1.2	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 Yankton County's census tracts?

Yankton County is divided into 5 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $61,869 (Tract 9662) to $87,721 (Tract 9663.01).

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

Tract 966146135966100	Yankton	3,007	3,429±382	$66,771	$152,000	$773	10.0%
Tract 966246135966200	Yankton (71%)	5,723	5,455±619	$61,869	$233,800	$745	13.7%
Tract 9663.0146135966301	Yankton (10%)	4,126	4,433±274	$87,721	$306,300	$1,127	6.2%
Tract 9663.0246135966302	Yankton	6,791	6,474±489	$70,000	$232,900	$680	17.6%
Tract 966446135966400	Gayville (3%)	3,663	3,623±279	$74,223	$181,300	$766	8.1%

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

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

Yankton County's rank among South Dakota's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	9th of 66
Growth 2020-2025	31st of 66
Residents per square mile	4th of 66
Median household income	32nd of 66
Median home value	16th of 66
Median gross rent	29th of 65
Poverty rate	25th of 65
Bachelor's degree or higher	13th of 66
Median age	23rd 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 Yankton 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.