Sanborn County, South Dakota Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 54th-largest in South Dakota

The population of Sanborn County, South Dakota is 2,370 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 54th-largest county in South Dakota. The median household income is $69,870, the median home value is $138,500, and the median age is 38.6.

The population of Sanborn County has grown 1.6% since 2010 (2,354 → 2,392), a +0.11% annualized rate.

Sanborn County within South Dakota · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

2,370

Population

+0.11%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$69,870

Median Income

$138,500

Median Home Value

Sanborn County covers 569 sq mi of land at 4.2 people per square mile.

About Sanborn County, SD

What sets Sanborn County apart is where people work — remote work is unusually prominent here, at 17.3% versus 14.0% nationally. With 2,370 residents, Sanborn County is a county in South Dakota.

Household earnings are middling, with a median of $69,870 — below the US median of $78,538. Only 6.8% of residents live in poverty, below the national 12.4%. The typical home is valued at $138,500, with typical rent around $717.

Roughly 19.2% of adults have a bachelor’s, below the national 35.0%. Working from home is common here: 17.3% of workers do so, above the national 14.0%, and the average commute runs about 21 minutes each way.

The remote-work concentration is telling in Sanborn County — it skews toward higher-income, college-educated workers and reshapes both commute patterns and housing demand.

Sanborn County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Sanborn County had a population of 2,354 in 2010 and 2,392 in 2024, a 1.6% growth over 14 years. The peak was 2,437 in 2017. Average annual growth rate: 0.12%.

Sanborn County population, 2010–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

2,392

Population (2024)

2,354

Population (2010)

2,437

Peak (2017)

0.12%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	2,354	-	-	estimate
2011	2,355	+1	+0.04%	estimate
2012	2,318	-37	-1.57%	estimate
2013	2,325	+7	+0.30%	estimate
2014	2,331	+6	+0.26%	estimate
2015	2,348	+17	+0.73%	estimate
2016	2,371	+23	+0.98%	estimate
2017	2,437	+66	+2.78%	estimate
2018	2,387	-50	-2.05%	estimate
2019	2,345	-42	-1.76%	estimate
2020	2,330	-15	-0.64%	estimate
2021	2,379	+49	+2.10%	estimate
2022	2,413	+34	+1.43%	estimate
2023	2,407	-6	-0.25%	estimate
2024	2,392	-15	-0.62%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	94.9%
Black or African American	0.0%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2.2%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

38.6

Median Age

50.3%

Female

49.7%

Male

20.0%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

8.1%

5–9

7.9%

10–14

7.2%

15–19

6.8%

20–24

3.1%

25–34

11.0%

35–44

13.2%

45–54

6.4%

55–59

6.5%

60–64

9.7%

65–74

13.2%

75–84

4.6%

85+

2.2%

Children (under 15): 23.2% · Seniors (65+): 20.0%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$69,870$-2,551 vs state
Mean household income	$85,845
Per-capita income	$34,851
Poverty rate	6.8%-0.6% vs state
Unemployment rate	0.8%
Employment-to-population	68.6%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

20.8%

Agriculture

15.4%

Manufacturing

11.5%

Finance & real estate

7.1%

Information

7.1%

Construction

6.8%

Retail trade

5.4%

Public administration

5.4%

The largest employment sector in Sanborn County is professional & business services, accounting for 20.8% of workers.

How residents commute

0.0%

Drive alone

6.5%

Carpool

70.5%

Public transit

17.3%

Work from home

21.0 min

Avg commute

Housing

$138,500$-98,300 vs state

Median home value

$717

Median rent

77.6%

Homeownership rate

1,134

Total housing units

81.9%

Occupied

18.1%

Vacant

22.4%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.6%

With health insurance

89.9%

With broadband internet

19.0%

Foreign-born

7.2%

Veterans (18+)

12.2%

With a disability

96.5%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

89.8%

High School+

19.2%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in South Dakota

Sioux Falls (197,642)Rapid City (76,836)Aberdeen (28,297)Brookings (23,710)Watertown (22,859)Mitchell (15,637)Yankton (15,501)Huron (14,347)Pierre (14,008)Spearfish (12,551)All South Dakota cities →

Other counties in South Dakota

Minnehaha County (200,689)Pennington County (112,081)Lincoln County (68,286)Brown County (38,079)Brookings County (34,968)Meade County (30,297)Codington County (28,556)Lawrence County (26,574)Yankton County (23,379)Davison County (19,936)All South Dakota counties →

Part of South Dakota

South Dakota demographic profile All South Dakota data →

Metro areas in South Dakota

Sioux Falls (293,107)Rapid City (151,064)Sioux City (144,007)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Sanborn County, South Dakota has a population of 2,370 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 54th-largest county in South Dakota. Population density is 4 people per square mile.

The population of Sanborn County has grown 1.6% since 2010 (2,354 → 2,392), a +0.11% annualized rate.

The median household income in Sanborn County, South Dakota is $69,870, with mean (average) household income of $85,845 and per-capita income of $34,851. 6.8% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Sanborn County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (94.9%), Hispanic or Latino (2.2%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Sanborn County, South Dakota is 38.6 years. Residents are 50.3% female and 49.7% male.

The median home value in Sanborn County is $138,500 and median monthly rent is $717. 77.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 1,134 total housing units, 18.1% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Sanborn County, South Dakota is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 20.8% of workers. The unemployment rate is 0.8%.

Sioux Falls is among the largest cities associated with Sanborn County, South Dakota, with a population of 197,642.