HomeSouth DakotaCuster County
Custer County, South Dakota: commercial real estate data.
Custer County, South Dakota had an estimated 9,330 residents on July 1, 2024, up 12.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 8,325, across 1,557 square miles. County output reached $397.6 m in 2024, 327 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 22 7(a) approvals worth $6.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Custer County
How many people live in Custer County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20248,892
- Households4,451
- Average household size2.00
- Median household income$84,112
- Median age57.6
- Median gross rent$1,112 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$372,100
- Home value to household income4.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher31.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over7,323
- Population under 181,225
- Share under 1813.8 percent
- Population 65 and over2,997
- Share 65 and over33.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 644,670
- Civilian labor force4,299
- Unemployment rate2.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.1 percent
- Rank by population among South Dakota counties21st of 66
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2570th of 3,222
Custer County is the 21st largest of 66 South Dakota counties by population. A median home costs 4.4 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 33.7 percent against 13.8 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Custer County
Is Custer County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20249,330
- Census 2020 base population8,325
- Population change since the 2020 census base12.07 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024213
- Births, 202477
- Deaths, 2024100
- Natural change, 2024-23
- Net domestic migration, 2024227
- Net international migration, 202411
- Total net migration, 2024238
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,049
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents108th of 3,144
The county has grown 12.07 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Custer County
Where are people moving to Custer County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving473
- People arriving, from those returns867
- Tax returns filed by households leaving340
- Net household movement133
- Adjusted gross income arriving$51.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$27.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$107,825
- Average income of a leaving household$68,050
- Largest single originPennington County (100 households)
- Largest single destinationPennington County (103 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennington County | 100 | 170 | $13.2 m |
| Fall River County | 29 | 70 | $2.0 m |
Households arriving report $39,775 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Pennington County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Custer County
What is the Custer County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$397.6 m
- County GDP, 2023$376.2 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.7 percent
- GDP change over five years58.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the South Dakota areas BEA publishes29th of 66
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2546th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$44,719
Output grew 5.7 percent in the latest year and 58.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Custer County
Employment by industry in Custer County
- Covered employment, annual average2,677
- Establishments reporting421
- Average annual pay$47,494
- Average weekly wage$913
- Retail trade, employment301
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,011
- Health care and social assistance, employment266
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$62,850
- Construction, employment193
- Construction, average annual pay$47,737
- Other services, except public administration, employment89
- Other services, except public administration, average annual pay$38,965
- Real estate and rental and leasing, employment55
- Finance and insurance, employment53
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 301 | 36 | $29,011 |
| Health care and social assistance | 266 | 19 | $62,850 |
| Construction | 193 | 60 | $47,737 |
| Other services, except public administration | 89 | 19 | $38,965 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 55 | 15 | $36,429 |
| Finance and insurance | 53 | 22 | $71,274 |
| Wholesale trade | 42 | 25 | $97,456 |
| Educational services | 20 | 11 | $42,807 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 301 jobs, 11.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Custer County
How many businesses are in Custer County?
- Establishments, all industries327
- Employment at those establishments1,536
- Annual payroll$72.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents36.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Custer County
Building permits in Custer County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024232
- Declared construction value permitted$81.3 m
- Single family units authorized228
- Multifamily units authorized4
- Multifamily share of units1.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$350,344
- Units authorized per 1,000 households52.1
Single-family homes are 98.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Custer County
SBA loans in Custer County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded22
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$6.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$271,545
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,610
- 90th percentile approval$414,230
- Largest single approval$1,792,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)158
- Jobs per approval7.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active12
- Distinct industries receiving approvals16
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer31.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms7
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter14
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countRV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds (4)
- Most active lenderHighmark FCU (9)
- 504 approvals recorded11
- 504 gross approval dollars$3.5 m
- Average 504 approval$316,364
- Median 504 approval$272,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval3.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.5
- Most active CDCAlly Dakota Development, Inc. (10)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$9.5 m
The average approval of $271,545 sits well above the median of $150,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 31.8 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Custer County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Custer County
Do SBA loans in Custer County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded9
- Paid in full9
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full9
- Status: Exempt from disclosure13
Only 9 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Custer County
SBA lending by place in Custer County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Custer, approvals19
- Buffalo Gap, approvals1
- Fairburn, approvals1
- Hermosa, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Custer | 19 | $5,749,000 |
| Buffalo Gap | 1 | $100,000 |
| Fairburn | 1 | $100,000 |
| Hermosa | 1 | $25,000 |
Custer accounts for 19 approvals against 1 in Buffalo Gap. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Custer County
How large is Custer County?
- Land area1,557 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Dakota counties16th of 66
- Width, east to west68.5 mi
- Height, north to south26.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land6
- Establishments per square mile0.21
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Custer County
Flood risk in Custer County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Custer County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 460018
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate60.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Custer County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Custer County (community 460018), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Custer County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 60.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Custer County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Custer County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20248,892
- Households4,451
- Average household size2.00
- Median household income$84,112
- Median age57.6
Common questions
Custer County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Custer County, South Dakota?
The Census Bureau estimates 9,330 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 8,892, in 4,451 households, ranking 21st of 66 South Dakota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Custer County's population growing?
The population has grown 12.07 percent since the 2020 census base of 8,325, to 9,330 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 77 births against 100 deaths, with net migration of 238. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Custer County?
$84,112. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $372,100, which is 4.4 times income, and median gross rent is $1,112 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Custer County?
327 establishments, employing 1,536 people with an annual payroll of $72.8 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Custer County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 301 jobs, 11.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 2,677 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,494, or $913 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Custer County?
22 7(a) approvals totaling $6.0 m since FY2020, across 12 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 11 504 approvals worth $3.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Custer County?
232 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $81.3 m. Multifamily was 1.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Custer County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Custer County come from?
The largest single origin is Pennington County, with 100 households. Arriving households report an average income of $107,825 against $68,050 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Custer County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Custer County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Custer County
Cities and places in Custer.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Custer County. All 5 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer | city | 2,341 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Hermosa | town | 353 | 1 | 81.3 percent here, 18.7 percent Pennington County |
| Pringle | town | 206 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Buffalo Gap | town | 131 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Fairburn | town | 61 | 1 | Wholly in this county |