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Butte County, SD: population growth, jobs and income

Butte County lost 29 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.3%).

Butte County had an estimated 10,856 residents in 2025, up 5.5% (564 more people) since 2020. That is faster than South Dakota as a whole (+5.3%), and the 11th fastest growth of 65 counties in South Dakota.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Butte County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Butte County, ranked against South Dakota and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$972/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes10.0%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months1522025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 55 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 2,393 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +4.5% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 1.9% in 2025, 0.8 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 88 new homes in 2025, or 8.1 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $75,652 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +53.3% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 557th.

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Butte County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202510,856−29
202410,885+35
202310,850+61
202210,789+245
202110,544+252
202010,292–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Butte County

Butte County grew by 564 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+482).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+25+86
International migrationfrom and to other countries+1−2
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−55+482
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+0−2
Total change−29+564

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn South DakotaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth11th of 65557th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents40th of 652,563rd of 3,108
Private-sector job growth26th of 651,271st of 3,092
Median household income20th of 65794th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate19th of 6526th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents6th of 62249th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Butte County, SD as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Butte County's population change (+5.5%) was ahead of 4 of its 6 neighbouring counties and behind 2 (Lawrence County and Crook County, WY).

2 of its 6 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Butte County's $75,652 (2020–24).

Butte County, SD and its 6 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Butte County, SD This county10,856+5.5%−5.18.1$75,652
Lawrence County, SD29,459+14.0%26.77.9$73,384
Harding County, SD1,331+2.1%8.30.8$80,441
Meade County, SD30,711+2.7%−5.54.4$74,790
Crook County, WY7,852+9.3%6.02.2$79,637
Perkins County, SD2,853+0.8%7.70.0$66,908
Carter County, MT1,383−1.6%−26.83.6$54,167

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

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Questions

Is Butte County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 5.5% between 2020 and 2025, about 564 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). South Dakota as a whole changed +5.3% over the same years. That ranks 11th of 65 counties in South Dakota for population growth.

How many people moved to Butte County?

On net, none in 2025: about 55 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Butte County?

It averaged 1.9% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Butte County?

About 10,856 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Butte County?

Private employers there had 2,393 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +4.5% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in South Dakota

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other South Dakota county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Butte County data alerts

Email me when Butte County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Butte County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.