Counties in South Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Union County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 66 counties in 2024, at $1,409. Jones County had the lowest, at $679. The median was $936 and the figure for South Dakota was $1,121. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest1,409Union County
Lowest679Jones County
Median93666 counties
South Dakota1,121History

Map of counties, 2024

Aurora County: 805 USDBeadle County: 971 USDBennett County: 818 USDBon Homme County: 892 USDBrookings County: 1,096 USDBrown County: 1,047 USDBrule County: 791 USDBuffalo County: 980 USDButte County: 881 USDCampbell County: 863 USDCharles Mix County: 916 USDClark County: 899 USDClay County: 941 USDCodington County: 1,003 USDCorson County: 927 USDCuster County: 913 USDDavison County: 1,025 USDDay County: 863 USDDeuel County: 1,023 USDDewey County: 982 USDDouglas County: 877 USDEdmunds County: 1,000 USDFall River County: 985 USDFaulk County: 818 USDGrant County: 1,048 USDGregory County: 767 USDHaakon County: 914 USDHamlin County: 1,068 USDHand County: 845 USDHanson County: 998 USDHarding County: 897 USDHughes County: 1,187 USDHutchinson County: 931 USDHyde County: 1,059 USDJackson County: 794 USDJerauld County: 915 USDJones County: 679 USDKingsbury County: 920 USDLake County: 1,092 USDLawrence County: 965 USDLincoln County: 1,252 USDLyman County: 725 USDMcCook County: 973 USDMcPherson County: 804 USDMarshall County: 1,060 USDMeade County: 1,101 USDMellette County: 709 USDMiner County: 837 USDMinnehaha County: 1,252 USDMoody County: 1,023 USDOglala Lakota County: 1,030 USDPennington County: 1,102 USDPerkins County: 803 USDPotter County: 890 USDRoberts County: 871 USDSanborn County: 800 USDSpink County: 983 USDStanley County: 904 USDSully County: 1,068 USDTodd County: 949 USDTripp County: 954 USDTurner County: 897 USDUnion County: 1,409 USDWalworth County: 899 USDYankton County: 1,068 USDZiebach County: 1,005 USD
  • Under 820
  • 820 to 900
  • 900 to 940
  • 940 to 1,000
  • 1,000 to 1,100
  • 1,100 and over
USD, 2024. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2024

Union County: 1,409 USDUnion County1,409Lincoln County: 1,252 USDLincoln County1,252Minnehaha County: 1,252 USDMinnehaha County1,252Hughes County: 1,187 USDHughes County1,187Pennington County: 1,102 USDPennington County1,102Meade County: 1,101 USDMeade County1,101Brookings County: 1,096 USDBrookings County1,096Lake County: 1,092 USDLake County1,092Hamlin County: 1,068 USDHamlin County1,068Sully County: 1,068 USDSully County1,068Yankton County: 1,068 USDYankton County1,068Marshall County: 1,060 USDMarshall County1,060Hyde County: 1,059 USDHyde County1,059Grant County: 1,048 USDGrant County1,048Brown County: 1,047 USDBrown County1,047Oglala Lakota County: 1,030 USDOglala Lakota County1,030Davison County: 1,025 USDDavison County1,025Deuel County: 1,023 USDDeuel County1,023Moody County: 1,023 USDMoody County1,023Ziebach County: 1,005 USDZiebach County1,005Codington County: 1,003 USDCodington County1,003Edmunds County: 1,000 USDEdmunds County1,000Hanson County: 998 USDHanson County998Fall River County: 985 USDFall River County985Spink County: 983 USDSpink County983Dewey County: 982 USDDewey County982Buffalo County: 980 USDBuffalo County980McCook County: 973 USDMcCook County973Beadle County: 971 USDBeadle County971Lawrence County: 965 USDLawrence County965Tripp County: 954 USDTripp County954Todd County: 949 USDTodd County949Clay County: 941 USDClay County941Hutchinson County: 931 USDHutchinson County931Corson County: 927 USDCorson County927Kingsbury County: 920 USDKingsbury County920Charles Mix County: 916 USDCharles Mix County916Jerauld County: 915 USDJerauld County915Haakon County: 914 USDHaakon County914Custer County: 913 USDCuster County913Union County: 1,409 USDUnion County1,409Lincoln County: 1,252 USDLincoln County1,252Minnehaha County: 1,252 USDMinnehaha County1,252Hughes County: 1,187 USDHughes County1,187Pennington County: 1,102 USDPennington County1,102Meade County: 1,101 USDMeade County1,101Brookings County: 1,096 USDBrookings County1,096Lake County: 1,092 USDLake County1,092Hamlin County: 1,068 USDHamlin County1,068Sully County: 1,068 USDSully County1,068Yankton County: 1,068 USDYankton County1,068Marshall County: 1,060 USDMarshall County1,060Hyde County: 1,059 USDHyde County1,059Grant County: 1,048 USDGrant County1,048Brown County: 1,047 USDBrown County1,047Oglala Lakota County: 1,030 USDOglala Lakota County1,030Davison County: 1,025 USDDavison County1,025Deuel County: 1,023 USDDeuel County1,023Moody County: 1,023 USDMoody County1,023Ziebach County: 1,005 USDZiebach County1,005Codington County: 1,003 USDCodington County1,003Edmunds County: 1,000 USDEdmunds County1,000Hanson County: 998 USDHanson County998Fall River County: 985 USDFall River County985Spink County: 983 USDSpink County983Dewey County: 982 USDDewey County982Buffalo County: 980 USDBuffalo County980McCook County: 973 USDMcCook County973Beadle County: 971 USDBeadle County971Lawrence County: 965 USDLawrence County965Tripp County: 954 USDTripp County954Todd County: 949 USDTodd County949Clay County: 941 USDClay County941Hutchinson County: 931 USDHutchinson County931Corson County: 927 USDCorson County927Kingsbury County: 920 USDKingsbury County920Charles Mix County: 916 USDCharles Mix County916Jerauld County: 915 USDJerauld County915Haakon County: 914 USDHaakon County914Custer County: 913 USDCuster County913
USD. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024
USD
Change on 2023
1Union County1,409+3.2%
2Lincoln County1,252+3.2%
2Minnehaha County1,252+3.8%
4Hughes County1,187+5.7%
5Pennington County1,102+4.4%
6Meade County1,101+5.6%
7Brookings County1,096+4.8%
8Lake County1,092+5%
9Hamlin County1,068+5.2%
9Sully County1,068+8.2%
9Yankton County1,068+1.4%
12Marshall County1,060+8.1%
13Hyde County1,059+4.6%
14Grant County1,048+2.7%
15Brown County1,047+3.6%
16Oglala Lakota County1,030+5.6%
17Davison County1,025+3.1%
18Deuel County1,023+2.6%
18Moody County1,023+4.9%
20Ziebach County1,005+26.6%
21Codington County1,003+4.2%
22Edmunds County1,000+4.2%
23Hanson County998+7.3%
24Fall River County985+5.3%
25Spink County983+2.1%
26Dewey County982+5.6%
27Buffalo County980+6.5%
28McCook County973+7.3%
29Beadle County971+2.1%
30Lawrence County965+1.3%
31Tripp County954+7.7%
32Todd County949+0.6%
33Clay County941+4.9%
34Hutchinson County931+3.7%
35Corson County927+4%
36Kingsbury County920+4.3%
37Charles Mix County916+6.4%
38Jerauld County915+8.7%
39Haakon County914+2.9%
40Custer County913+5.4%
41Stanley County904+5.2%
42Clark County899+0.6%
42Walworth County899+4.9%
44Harding County897+4.3%
44Turner County897+4.3%
46Bon Homme County892+8%
47Potter County890+1%
48Butte County881+5.6%
49Douglas County877+1%
50Roberts County871+3.2%
51Campbell County863+0.2%
51Day County863+2.5%
53Hand County845+3.7%
54Miner County837+4.5%
55Bennett County818+3.5%
55Faulk County818+3.4%
57Aurora County805+3.7%
58McPherson County804+3.6%
59Perkins County803+1.5%
60Sanborn County800+7.8%
61Jackson County794+4.6%
62Brule County791+1.3%
63Gregory County767+1.9%
64Lyman County725+3.1%
65Mellette County709+7.4%
66Jones County679+0.4%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages paid during the year divided by the average number of covered jobs and by 52, in US dollars, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

In current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. An average per job, so part-time jobs pull it down and high earners pull it up; for the typical job use median_annual_wage. Wages include bonuses, stock options exercised, severance pay and tips, which makes counties with corporate headquarters stand out. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in South Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in South Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2024. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/south-dakota-counties?period=2024. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in South Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/south-dakota-counties?period=2024.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in South Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/south-dakota-counties?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_south_dakota_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in South Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/south-dakota-counties?period=2024. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in South Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/south-dakota-counties?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/south-dakota-counties?period=2024.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in South Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Union County, with $1,409 in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Jones County, with $679 in 2024.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Average weekly wage (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in South Dakota: more rankings