HomeSouth DakotaUnion County
Union County, South Dakota: commercial real estate data.
Union County, South Dakota had an estimated 17,402 residents on July 1, 2024, up 3.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,814, across 461 square miles. County output reached $2.26 bn in 2024, 555 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 16 7(a) approvals worth $21.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Union County
How many people live in Union County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202417,081
- Households7,310
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$89,636
- Median age41.5
- Median gross rent$1,069 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$301,100
- Home value to household income3.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher37.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree13.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over11,842
- Population under 184,108
- Share under 1824.1 percent
- Population 65 and over3,328
- Share 65 and over19.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,645
- Civilian labor force9,220
- Unemployment rate3.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over71.1 percent
- Rank by population among South Dakota counties13th of 66
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2032nd of 3,222
Union County is the 13th largest of 66 South Dakota counties by population. A median home costs 3.4 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.1 percent against 19.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Union County
Is Union County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202417,402
- Census 2020 base population16,814
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.50 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024216
- Births, 2024245
- Deaths, 2024150
- Natural change, 202495
- Net domestic migration, 2024107
- Net international migration, 202415
- Total net migration, 2024122
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024268
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents778th of 3,144
The county has grown 3.50 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Union County
Where are people moving to Union County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving633
- People arriving, from those returns1,131
- Tax returns filed by households leaving602
- Net household movement31
- Adjusted gross income arriving$84.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$23.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$133,352
- Average income of a leaving household$101,822
- Largest single originWoodbury County (175 households)
- Largest single destinationWoodbury County (137 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodbury County | 175 | 354 | $21.8 m |
| Minnehaha County | 58 | 90 | $3.2 m |
| Lincoln County | 46 | 93 | $4.1 m |
| Clay County | 28 | 42 | $1.6 m |
| Dakota County | 23 | 40 | $1.6 m |
Households arriving report $31,530 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 Woodbury 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.
Union County
What is the Union County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.26 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.22 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.0 percent
- GDP change over five years34.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the South Dakota areas BEA publishes6th of 66
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1183rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$132,391
Output grew 2.0 percent in the latest year and 34.8 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.
Union County
Employment by industry in Union County
- Covered employment, annual average9,633
- Establishments reporting878
- Average annual pay$73,276
- Average weekly wage$1,409
- Manufacturing, employment2,230
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$75,782
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,296
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$75,809
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment809
- Professional, scientific and technical services, average annual pay$113,003
- Finance and insurance, employment654
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$91,354
- Accommodation and food services, employment603
- Retail trade, employment587
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,230 | 31 | $75,782 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,296 | 98 | $75,809 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 809 | 142 | $113,003 |
| Finance and insurance | 654 | 85 | $91,354 |
| Accommodation and food services | 603 | 40 | $21,628 |
| Retail trade | 587 | 54 | $48,641 |
| Construction | 467 | 73 | $76,476 |
| Wholesale trade | 467 | 90 | $99,093 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,230 jobs, 23.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Union County
How many businesses are in Union County?
- Establishments, all industries555
- Employment at those establishments9,844
- Annual payroll$700.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents32.5
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.
Union County
Building permits in Union County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202448
- Declared construction value permitted$18.9 m
- Single family units authorized40
- Multifamily units authorized8
- Multifamily share of units16.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$392,986
- Units authorized per 1,000 households6.6
Single-family homes are 83.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Union County
SBA loans in Union County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded16
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$21.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,329,944
- Median 7(a) approval$563,500
- Largest single approval$3,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)147
- Jobs per approval9.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active8
- Distinct industries receiving approvals8
- Median 7(a) term92 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter15
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals12.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countMeat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (7)
- Most active lenderGBC International Bank (7)
- 504 approvals recorded30
- 504 gross approval dollars$14.0 m
- Average 504 approval$467,100
- Median 504 approval$357,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval7.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved15.8
- Most active CDCDakota Business Finance (21)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$35.3 m
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.
Union County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Union County
Do SBA loans in Union County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded8
- Paid in full7
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full7
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure8
Only 8 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.
Union County
SBA lending by place in Union County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- North Sioux City, approvals9
- Jefferson, approvals4
- McCook Lake, approvals1
- Beresford, approvals1
- Alcester, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| North Sioux City | 9 | $19,716,500 |
| Jefferson | 4 | $1,385,500 |
| McCook Lake | 1 | $70,000 |
| Beresford | 1 | $62,100 |
| Alcester | 1 | $45,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Union County
How large is Union County?
- Land area461 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Dakota counties62nd of 66
- Width, east to west18.5 mi
- Height, north to south41.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land37
- Establishments per square mile1.20
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.
Union County
Flood risk in Union County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Union County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 460242
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Union County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Union County (community 460242), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Union County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 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 Union 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 Union County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202417,081
- Households7,310
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$89,636
- Median age41.5
Common questions
Union County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Union County, South Dakota?
The Census Bureau estimates 17,402 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 17,081, in 7,310 households, ranking 13th of 66 South Dakota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Union County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.50 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,814, to 17,402 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 245 births against 150 deaths, with net migration of 122. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Union County?
$89,636. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $301,100, which is 3.4 times income, and median gross rent is $1,069 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Union County?
555 establishments, employing 9,844 people with an annual payroll of $700.7 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 Union County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,230 jobs, 23.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 9,633 jobs at an average annual pay of $73,276, or $1,409 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Union County?
16 7(a) approvals totaling $21.3 m since FY2020, across 8 lenders, with a median approval of $563,500, plus 30 504 approvals worth $14.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Union County?
48 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $18.9 m. Multifamily was 16.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Union County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 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 Union County come from?
The largest single origin is Woodbury County, with 175 households. Arriving households report an average income of $133,352 against $101,822 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Union 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 Union 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.
Union County
Cities and places in Union.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Union County. All 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota Dunes | CDP | 3,936 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| North Sioux City | city | 3,045 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Elk Point | city | 2,537 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Beresford | city | 2,360 | 1 | 73.2 percent here, 26.8 percent Lincoln County |
| Alcester | city | 989 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Jefferson | city | 554 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Richland | CDP | 107 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 16 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Union County, the largest being McCook Lake (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.