HomeSouth DakotaMeade County
Meade County, South Dakota: commercial real estate data.
Meade County, South Dakota had an estimated 30,918 residents on July 1, 2024, up 3.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 29,850, across 3,471 square miles. County output reached $1.30 bn in 2024, 805 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 31 7(a) approvals worth $8.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Meade County
How many people live in Meade County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202430,546
- Households11,968
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$74,790
- Median age37.3
- Median gross rent$1,264 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$310,900
- Home value to household income4.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher27.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over21,019
- Population under 186,476
- Share under 1821.2 percent
- Population 65 and over5,104
- Share 65 and over16.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6418,966
- Civilian labor force15,594
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.8 percent
- Rank by population among South Dakota counties6th of 66
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1463rd of 3,222
Meade County is the 6th largest of 66 South Dakota counties by population. A median home costs 4.2 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.2 percent against 16.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Meade County
Is Meade County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202430,918
- Census 2020 base population29,850
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.58 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-13
- Births, 2024313
- Deaths, 2024281
- Natural change, 202432
- Net domestic migration, 2024-46
- Net international migration, 20242
- Total net migration, 2024-44
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024877
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents759th of 3,144
The county has grown 3.58 percent since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Meade County
Where are people moving to Meade County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,666
- People arriving, from those returns3,241
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,527
- Net household movement139
- Adjusted gross income arriving$99.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$20.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$59,664
- Average income of a leaving household$51,659
- Largest single originPennington County (574 households)
- Largest single destinationPennington County (609 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennington County | 574 | 1,106 | $33.7 m |
| Lawrence County | 96 | 170 | $5.9 m |
| Foreign - APO/FPO ZIPs | 49 | 121 | $2.3 m |
| Butte County | 35 | 81 | $1.9 m |
| Clark County | 21 | 49 | $1.4 m |
Households arriving report $8,005 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.
Meade County
What is the Meade County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.30 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.25 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.8 percent
- GDP change over five years37.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the South Dakota areas BEA publishes12th of 66
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1628th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$42,710
Output grew 4.8 percent in the latest year and 37.2 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.
Meade County
Employment by industry in Meade County
- Covered employment, annual average8,600
- Establishments reporting1,056
- Average annual pay$57,255
- Average weekly wage$1,101
- Construction, employment1,049
- Construction, average annual pay$61,923
- Retail trade, employment860
- Retail trade, average annual pay$41,153
- Accommodation and food services, employment746
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$23,868
- Health care and social assistance, employment625
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$52,135
- Manufacturing, employment393
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment343
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 1,049 | 176 | $61,923 |
| Retail trade | 860 | 100 | $41,153 |
| Accommodation and food services | 746 | 69 | $23,868 |
| Health care and social assistance | 625 | 49 | $52,135 |
| Manufacturing | 393 | 32 | $44,922 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 343 | 142 | $85,039 |
| Wholesale trade | 285 | 54 | $73,450 |
| Other services, except public administration | 255 | 72 | $41,124 |
Construction is the largest private sector at 1,049 jobs, 12.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Meade County
How many businesses are in Meade County?
- Establishments, all industries805
- Employment at those establishments6,662
- Annual payroll$421.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents26.4
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.
Meade County
Building permits in Meade County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024138
- Declared construction value permitted$42.6 m
- Single family units authorized111
- Multifamily units authorized27
- Multifamily share of units19.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$308,582
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.5
Single-family homes are 80.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Meade County
SBA loans in Meade County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded31
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$8.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$273,942
- Median 7(a) approval$153,800
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$601,600
- Largest single approval$1,239,700
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)197
- Jobs per approval6.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals24
- Median 7(a) term96 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms8
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter23
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals3.2 percent
- Most active lenderBlack Hills FCU (10)
- 504 approvals recorded38
- 504 gross approval dollars$29.9 m
- Average 504 approval$786,789
- Median 504 approval$390,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval8.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.3
- Most active CDCAlly Dakota Development, Inc. (32)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$38.4 m
The average approval of $273,942 sits well above the median of $153,800, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 25.8 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
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.
Meade County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Meade County
Do SBA loans in Meade County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Exempt from disclosure20
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 5 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.
Meade County
SBA lending by place in Meade County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending8
- Blackhawk, approvals10
- Sturgis, approvals8
- Rapid City, approvals5
- Vale, approvals2
- Summerset, approvals2
- Box Elder, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Blackhawk | 10 | $1,773,200 |
| Sturgis | 8 | $4,217,600 |
| Rapid City | 5 | $1,419,400 |
| Vale | 2 | $510,000 |
| Summerset | 2 | $411,000 |
| Box Elder | 2 | $116,000 |
| Piedmont | 1 | $25,000 |
| Newell | 1 | $20,000 |
Blackhawk accounts for 10 approvals against 8 in Sturgis. 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.
Meade County
How large is Meade County?
- Land area3,471 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Dakota counties1st of 66
- Width, east to west77.6 mi
- Height, north to south62.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land9
- Establishments per square mile0.23
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.
Meade County
Flood risk in Meade County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Meade County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 460054
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 9
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Meade 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 Meade County (community 460054), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 9, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Meade 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. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 80.0 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 Meade 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 Meade County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202430,546
- Households11,968
- Average household size2.55
- Median household income$74,790
- Median age37.3
Common questions
Meade County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Meade County, South Dakota?
The Census Bureau estimates 30,918 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 30,546, in 11,968 households, ranking 6th of 66 South Dakota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Meade County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.58 percent since the 2020 census base of 29,850, to 30,918 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 313 births against 281 deaths, with net migration of -44. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Meade County?
$74,790. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $310,900, which is 4.2 times income, and median gross rent is $1,264 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Meade County?
805 establishments, employing 6,662 people with an annual payroll of $421.0 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 Meade County?
Construction is the largest private sector at 1,049 jobs, 12.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 8,600 jobs at an average annual pay of $57,255, or $1,101 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Meade County?
31 7(a) approvals totaling $8.5 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $153,800, plus 38 504 approvals worth $29.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Meade County?
138 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $42.6 m. Multifamily was 19.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Meade 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 Meade County come from?
The largest single origin is Pennington County, with 574 households. Arriving households report an average income of $59,664 against $51,659 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Meade 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 Meade 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.
Meade County
Cities and places in Meade.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Meade County. All 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Elder | city | 12,902 | 2 | 10.2 percent here, 89.8 percent Pennington County |
| Sturgis | city | 7,086 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Summerset | city | 3,022 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Blackhawk | CDP | 2,934 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Piedmont | city | 981 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Wonderland Homes | CDP | 745 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Blucksberg Mountain | CDP | 692 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Faith | city | 297 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 8 of the county's 31 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Meade County, the largest being Rapid City (5), Vale (2), Newell (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.