Counties in South Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2024

Minnehaha County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 66 counties in 2024, at $9.46 billion. Mellette County had the lowest, at $15.67 million. The median was $96.74 million and the figure for South Dakota was $28.35 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest9,458.9Minnehaha County
Lowest15.7Mellette County
Median96.766 counties
South Dakota28,349.2History

Map of counties, 2024

Aurora County: 35.8 USD millionBeadle County: 468.3 USD millionBennett County: 40.6 USD millionBon Homme County: 85.7 USD millionBrookings County: 1,159.9 USD millionBrown County: 1,163.7 USD millionBrule County: 97.8 USD millionBuffalo County: 30 USD millionButte County: 147.7 USD millionCampbell County: 26 USD millionCharles Mix County: 178 USD millionClark County: 60.4 USD millionClay County: 320.5 USD millionCodington County: 948.3 USD millionCorson County: 41.1 USD millionCuster County: 139.5 USD millionDavison County: 700.4 USD millionDay County: 100.5 USD millionDeuel County: 93.3 USD millionDewey County: 131.4 USD millionDouglas County: 54.9 USD millionEdmunds County: 67.1 USD millionFall River County: 152.7 USD millionFaulk County: 35.4 USD millionGrant County: 221.2 USD millionGregory County: 70.6 USD millionHaakon County: 45.1 USD millionHamlin County: 153.5 USD millionHand County: 74.2 USD millionHanson County: 38.7 USD millionHarding County: 26.4 USD millionHughes County: 704.2 USD millionHutchinson County: 142.3 USD millionHyde County: 33.2 USD millionJackson County: 35.2 USD millionJerauld County: 78.4 USD millionJones County: 17.8 USD millionKingsbury County: 94.8 USD millionLake County: 311.5 USD millionLawrence County: 724.5 USD millionLincoln County: 2,054.1 USD millionLyman County: 59.1 USD millionMcCook County: 78.1 USD millionMcPherson County: 27.6 USD millionMarshall County: 95.7 USD millionMeade County: 559.1 USD millionMellette County: 15.7 USD millionMiner County: 35.3 USD millionMinnehaha County: 9,458.9 USD millionMoody County: 131.7 USD millionOglala Lakota County: 216.7 USD millionPennington County: 3,985.1 USD millionPerkins County: 54.6 USD millionPotter County: 43.1 USD millionRoberts County: 173.4 USD millionSanborn County: 31.5 USD millionSpink County: 127.7 USD millionStanley County: 70 USD millionSully County: 43.3 USD millionTodd County: 153.6 USD millionTripp County: 126.5 USD millionTurner County: 119.5 USD millionUnion County: 742.4 USD millionWalworth County: 104.9 USD millionYankton County: 761.4 USD millionZiebach County: 17.9 USD million
  • Under 40
  • 40 to 60
  • 60 to 100
  • 100 to 150
  • 150 to 580
  • 580 and over
USD million, 2024. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2024

Minnehaha County: 9,458.9 USD millionMinnehaha County9,458.9Pennington County: 3,985.1 USD millionPennington County3,985.1Lincoln County: 2,054.1 USD millionLincoln County2,054.1Brown County: 1,163.7 USD millionBrown County1,163.7Brookings County: 1,159.9 USD millionBrookings County1,159.9Codington County: 948.3 USD millionCodington County948.3Yankton County: 761.4 USD millionYankton County761.4Union County: 742.4 USD millionUnion County742.4Lawrence County: 724.5 USD millionLawrence County724.5Hughes County: 704.2 USD millionHughes County704.2Davison County: 700.4 USD millionDavison County700.4Meade County: 559.1 USD millionMeade County559.1Beadle County: 468.3 USD millionBeadle County468.3Clay County: 320.5 USD millionClay County320.5Lake County: 311.5 USD millionLake County311.5Grant County: 221.2 USD millionGrant County221.2Oglala Lakota County: 216.7 USD millionOglala Lakota County216.7Charles Mix County: 178 USD millionCharles Mix County178Roberts County: 173.4 USD millionRoberts County173.4Todd County: 153.6 USD millionTodd County153.6Hamlin County: 153.5 USD millionHamlin County153.5Fall River County: 152.7 USD millionFall River County152.7Butte County: 147.7 USD millionButte County147.7Hutchinson County: 142.3 USD millionHutchinson County142.3Custer County: 139.5 USD millionCuster County139.5Moody County: 131.7 USD millionMoody County131.7Dewey County: 131.4 USD millionDewey County131.4Spink County: 127.7 USD millionSpink County127.7Tripp County: 126.5 USD millionTripp County126.5Turner County: 119.5 USD millionTurner County119.5Walworth County: 104.9 USD millionWalworth County104.9Day County: 100.5 USD millionDay County100.5Brule County: 97.8 USD millionBrule County97.8Marshall County: 95.7 USD millionMarshall County95.7Kingsbury County: 94.8 USD millionKingsbury County94.8Deuel County: 93.3 USD millionDeuel County93.3Bon Homme County: 85.7 USD millionBon Homme County85.7Jerauld County: 78.4 USD millionJerauld County78.4McCook County: 78.1 USD millionMcCook County78.1Hand County: 74.2 USD millionHand County74.2Minnehaha County: 9,458.9 USD millionMinnehaha County9,458.9Pennington County: 3,985.1 USD millionPennington County3,985.1Lincoln County: 2,054.1 USD millionLincoln County2,054.1Brown County: 1,163.7 USD millionBrown County1,163.7Brookings County: 1,159.9 USD millionBrookings County1,159.9Codington County: 948.3 USD millionCodington County948.3Yankton County: 761.4 USD millionYankton County761.4Union County: 742.4 USD millionUnion County742.4Lawrence County: 724.5 USD millionLawrence County724.5Hughes County: 704.2 USD millionHughes County704.2Davison County: 700.4 USD millionDavison County700.4Meade County: 559.1 USD millionMeade County559.1Beadle County: 468.3 USD millionBeadle County468.3Clay County: 320.5 USD millionClay County320.5Lake County: 311.5 USD millionLake County311.5Grant County: 221.2 USD millionGrant County221.2Oglala Lakota County: 216.7 USD millionOglala Lakota County216.7Charles Mix County: 178 USD millionCharles Mix County178Roberts County: 173.4 USD millionRoberts County173.4Todd County: 153.6 USD millionTodd County153.6Hamlin County: 153.5 USD millionHamlin County153.5Fall River County: 152.7 USD millionFall River County152.7Butte County: 147.7 USD millionButte County147.7Hutchinson County: 142.3 USD millionHutchinson County142.3Custer County: 139.5 USD millionCuster County139.5Moody County: 131.7 USD millionMoody County131.7Dewey County: 131.4 USD millionDewey County131.4Spink County: 127.7 USD millionSpink County127.7Tripp County: 126.5 USD millionTripp County126.5Turner County: 119.5 USD millionTurner County119.5Walworth County: 104.9 USD millionWalworth County104.9Day County: 100.5 USD millionDay County100.5Brule County: 97.8 USD millionBrule County97.8Marshall County: 95.7 USD millionMarshall County95.7Kingsbury County: 94.8 USD millionKingsbury County94.8Deuel County: 93.3 USD millionDeuel County93.3Bon Homme County: 85.7 USD millionBon Homme County85.7Jerauld County: 78.4 USD millionJerauld County78.4McCook County: 78.1 USD millionMcCook County78.1Hand County: 74.2 USD millionHand County74.2
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024
USD million
Change on 2023
1Minnehaha County9,458.9+6.5%
2Pennington County3,985.1+5.4%
3Lincoln County2,054.1+5.7%
4Brown County1,163.7+3.9%
5Brookings County1,159.9+5.8%
6Codington County948.3+5.5%
7Yankton County761.4+2.3%
8Union County742.4+1.1%
9Lawrence County724.5+2.8%
10Hughes County704.2+5.4%
11Davison County700.4+4.1%
12Meade County559.1+8.7%
13Beadle County468.3+3.8%
14Clay County320.5+4.8%
15Lake County311.5+4.8%
16Grant County221.2+2%
17Oglala Lakota County216.7+2.9%
18Charles Mix County178+7.2%
19Roberts County173.4+4.6%
20Todd County153.6+2.1%
21Hamlin County153.5+10.9%
22Fall River County152.7+6.1%
23Butte County147.7+7.2%
24Hutchinson County142.3+4.7%
25Custer County139.5+7.1%
26Moody County131.7+8.4%
27Dewey County131.4+8.6%
28Spink County127.7+4.9%
29Tripp County126.5+11.8%
30Turner County119.5+7.3%
31Walworth County104.9+4.7%
32Day County100.5+8.7%
33Brule County97.8-0.2%
34Marshall County95.7+6.9%
35Kingsbury County94.8+4.2%
36Deuel County93.3+6.8%
37Bon Homme County85.7+6.9%
38Jerauld County78.4+5.4%
39McCook County78.1+9%
40Hand County74.2+6.6%
41Gregory County70.6+5.2%
42Stanley County70+7.4%
43Edmunds County67.1+5.4%
44Clark County60.4-2.6%
45Lyman County59.1+1.6%
46Douglas County54.9+4.7%
47Perkins County54.6+3.3%
48Haakon County45.1+3.1%
49Sully County43.3+9.6%
50Potter County43.1+3.3%
51Corson County41.1+8.7%
52Bennett County40.6+5.5%
53Hanson County38.7+8.6%
54Aurora County35.8+1.8%
55Faulk County35.4+8.1%
56Miner County35.3-2.2%
57Jackson County35.2+5.1%
58Hyde County33.2+9.6%
59Sanborn County31.5+9.2%
60Buffalo County30+8.8%
61McPherson County27.6+7.2%
62Harding County26.4+8.5%
63Campbell County26+4.7%
64Ziebach County17.9+21.3%
65Jones County17.8+5%
66Mellette County15.7+10.6%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

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 Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. 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 Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in South Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in South Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2024. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-dakota-counties. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in South Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-dakota-counties.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in South Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-dakota-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_south_dakota_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in South Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-dakota-counties. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in South Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-dakota-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-dakota-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Minnehaha County, with $9.46 billion in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Mellette County, with $15.67 million 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 Economic Analysis, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in South Dakota: more rankings