POPULATION, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC,
& HOUSING DATA

Every day, school board officials, county agents, legislators, mayors, teachers, business men and women, and other community leaders make decisions that need to be based on reliable, up-to-date information.  The reports found through this page provide social indicators--facts and trends which describe the social landscape--of South Dakota.

How many people of different races and ethnic groups live here?  Are they young or old?  How many children do they have?  How much income do they earn?  What are their houses worth?  How much do they pay in rent?  How many live in mobile homes?

The County Data Book provides facts which describe the social terrain for each county in South Dakota.  They also provide information on trends which describe changes in the social landscape.  Because population changes may produce social problems which need to be addressed, community leaders must know the trends occurring in the state and in their communities.  Indeed, trend setters, community leaders, and citizens can find in this report much of the information they need to shape new and positive social, economic, and demographic trends in their communities.

A Population Pyramid provides a graphic display of the age and sex distribution of an area's population.  Population Indices, such as the Youth Dependency Ratio or the Age Dependency Ratio, are tools which can be used to interpret other aspects of the age and sex structure a given population. 

The Northwest Area Foundation has developed a website called "Northwest Area Regional Indicators."  It includes excellent charts of South Dakota's census data by county from a number of categories for the 2000 Census.  This is an excellent means of viewing graphically displayed county census data.  Click on the map of South Dakota to access the data.

|  CENSUS BUREAU  |  DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE  |
|  ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE  |  SOUTH DAKOTA VITAL STATISTICS  |
|  SOUTH DAKOTA AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS  | Northwest Area Regional Indicators  | 

Phone: 605-688-4899
e-mail: sdsu_censusdata@sdstate.edu