Counties in South Dakota by wages and salaries paid

Minnehaha County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 66 counties in 2015, at $5.83 billion. Mellette County had the lowest, at $9.93 million. The median was $63.36 million and the figure for South Dakota was $17.74 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest5,832.6Minnehaha County
Median63.466 counties
South Dakota17,736.6History

Map of counties, 2015

Aurora County: 27 USD millionBeadle County: 338.7 USD millionBennett County: 27.9 USD millionBon Homme County: 62.2 USD millionBrookings County: 764 USD millionBrown County: 874.4 USD millionBrule County: 66.3 USD millionBuffalo County: 20 USD millionButte County: 100.9 USD millionCampbell County: 18.2 USD millionCharles Mix County: 111 USD millionClark County: 36.3 USD millionClay County: 213.2 USD millionCodington County: 620.4 USD millionCorson County: 31.8 USD millionCuster County: 86 USD millionDavison County: 486.6 USD millionDay County: 63.2 USD millionDeuel County: 60.4 USD millionDewey County: 82.6 USD millionDouglas County: 42.1 USD millionEdmunds County: 48.3 USD millionFall River County: 104 USD millionFaulk County: 23.6 USD millionGrant County: 165 USD millionGregory County: 46.6 USD millionHaakon County: 29.9 USD millionHamlin County: 64.6 USD millionHand County: 48 USD millionHanson County: 24.5 USD millionHarding County: 22.9 USD millionHughes County: 460.9 USD millionHutchinson County: 92.1 USD millionHyde County: 20.4 USD millionJackson County: 23.6 USD millionJerauld County: 49.7 USD millionJones County: 14.1 USD millionKingsbury County: 63.5 USD millionLake County: 191.8 USD millionLawrence County: 415 USD millionLincoln County: 948.4 USD millionLyman County: 44.6 USD millionMcCook County: 49.8 USD millionMcPherson County: 19.2 USD millionMarshall County: 61.6 USD millionMeade County: 301.5 USD millionMellette County: 9.9 USD millionMiner County: 24.1 USD millionMinnehaha County: 5,832.6 USD millionMoody County: 79.5 USD millionOglala Lakota County: 151.1 USD millionPennington County: 2,462.9 USD millionPerkins County: 38 USD millionPotter County: 30.3 USD millionRoberts County: 120.1 USD millionSanborn County: 20.3 USD millionSpink County: 88.3 USD millionStanley County: 49.6 USD millionSully County: 21.6 USD millionTodd County: 104 USD millionTripp County: 74.2 USD millionTurner County: 72.8 USD millionUnion County: 489.1 USD millionWalworth County: 76.7 USD millionYankton County: 514.5 USD millionZiebach County: 10.1 USD million
  • Under 20
  • 20 to 40
  • 40 to 60
  • 60 to 100
  • 100 to 350
  • 350 and over
USD million, 2015. 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, 2015

Minnehaha County: 5,832.6 USD millionMinnehaha County5,832.6Pennington County: 2,462.9 USD millionPennington County2,462.9Lincoln County: 948.4 USD millionLincoln County948.4Brown County: 874.4 USD millionBrown County874.4Brookings County: 764 USD millionBrookings County764Codington County: 620.4 USD millionCodington County620.4Yankton County: 514.5 USD millionYankton County514.5Union County: 489.1 USD millionUnion County489.1Davison County: 486.6 USD millionDavison County486.6Hughes County: 460.9 USD millionHughes County460.9Lawrence County: 415 USD millionLawrence County415Beadle County: 338.7 USD millionBeadle County338.7Meade County: 301.5 USD millionMeade County301.5Clay County: 213.2 USD millionClay County213.2Lake County: 191.8 USD millionLake County191.8Grant County: 165 USD millionGrant County165Oglala Lakota County: 151.1 USD millionOglala Lakota County151.1Roberts County: 120.1 USD millionRoberts County120.1Charles Mix County: 111 USD millionCharles Mix County111Fall River County: 104 USD millionFall River County104Todd County: 104 USD millionTodd County104Butte County: 100.9 USD millionButte County100.9Hutchinson County: 92.1 USD millionHutchinson County92.1Spink County: 88.3 USD millionSpink County88.3Custer County: 86 USD millionCuster County86Dewey County: 82.6 USD millionDewey County82.6Moody County: 79.5 USD millionMoody County79.5Walworth County: 76.7 USD millionWalworth County76.7Tripp County: 74.2 USD millionTripp County74.2Turner County: 72.8 USD millionTurner County72.8Brule County: 66.3 USD millionBrule County66.3Hamlin County: 64.6 USD millionHamlin County64.6Kingsbury County: 63.5 USD millionKingsbury County63.5Day County: 63.2 USD millionDay County63.2Bon Homme County: 62.2 USD millionBon Homme County62.2Marshall County: 61.6 USD millionMarshall County61.6Deuel County: 60.4 USD millionDeuel County60.4McCook County: 49.8 USD millionMcCook County49.8Jerauld County: 49.7 USD millionJerauld County49.7Stanley County: 49.6 USD millionStanley County49.6Minnehaha County: 5,832.6 USD millionMinnehaha County5,832.6Pennington County: 2,462.9 USD millionPennington County2,462.9Lincoln County: 948.4 USD millionLincoln County948.4Brown County: 874.4 USD millionBrown County874.4Brookings County: 764 USD millionBrookings County764Codington County: 620.4 USD millionCodington County620.4Yankton County: 514.5 USD millionYankton County514.5Union County: 489.1 USD millionUnion County489.1Davison County: 486.6 USD millionDavison County486.6Hughes County: 460.9 USD millionHughes County460.9Lawrence County: 415 USD millionLawrence County415Beadle County: 338.7 USD millionBeadle County338.7Meade County: 301.5 USD millionMeade County301.5Clay County: 213.2 USD millionClay County213.2Lake County: 191.8 USD millionLake County191.8Grant County: 165 USD millionGrant County165Oglala Lakota County: 151.1 USD millionOglala Lakota County151.1Roberts County: 120.1 USD millionRoberts County120.1Charles Mix County: 111 USD millionCharles Mix County111Fall River County: 104 USD millionFall River County104Todd County: 104 USD millionTodd County104Butte County: 100.9 USD millionButte County100.9Hutchinson County: 92.1 USD millionHutchinson County92.1Spink County: 88.3 USD millionSpink County88.3Custer County: 86 USD millionCuster County86Dewey County: 82.6 USD millionDewey County82.6Moody County: 79.5 USD millionMoody County79.5Walworth County: 76.7 USD millionWalworth County76.7Tripp County: 74.2 USD millionTripp County74.2Turner County: 72.8 USD millionTurner County72.8Brule County: 66.3 USD millionBrule County66.3Hamlin County: 64.6 USD millionHamlin County64.6Kingsbury County: 63.5 USD millionKingsbury County63.5Day County: 63.2 USD millionDay County63.2Bon Homme County: 62.2 USD millionBon Homme County62.2Marshall County: 61.6 USD millionMarshall County61.6Deuel County: 60.4 USD millionDeuel County60.4McCook County: 49.8 USD millionMcCook County49.8Jerauld County: 49.7 USD millionJerauld County49.7Stanley County: 49.6 USD millionStanley County49.6
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

RankCounties2015
USD million
Change on 2014
1Minnehaha County5,832.6+5.2%
2Pennington County2,462.9+3.7%
3Lincoln County948.4+10.9%
4Brown County874.4+3.7%
5Brookings County764+6%
6Codington County620.4+2.3%
7Yankton County514.5+6.8%
8Union County489.1+1.9%
9Davison County486.6+4.4%
10Hughes County460.9+4%
11Lawrence County415+7.1%
12Beadle County338.7+3.8%
13Meade County301.5+5.9%
14Clay County213.2+2%
15Lake County191.8+2.4%
16Grant County165+2.1%
17Oglala Lakota County151.1+1.6%
18Roberts County120.1+3.3%
19Charles Mix County111+2.6%
20Fall River County104+3.4%
20Todd County104+4.4%
22Butte County100.9+2.5%
23Hutchinson County92.1+3.6%
24Spink County88.3-0.4%
25Custer County86+2.8%
26Dewey County82.6+4%
27Moody County79.5-1.9%
28Walworth County76.7+1.1%
29Tripp County74.2+1.8%
30Turner County72.8-1.6%
31Brule County66.3+2.3%
32Hamlin County64.6-4.2%
33Kingsbury County63.5+1.6%
34Day County63.2+2%
35Bon Homme County62.2+3.5%
36Marshall County61.6-2.7%
37Deuel County60.4+0.8%
38McCook County49.8+0.2%
39Jerauld County49.7-9.1%
40Stanley County49.6+2.5%
41Edmunds County48.3-2.4%
42Hand County48-1%
43Gregory County46.6+3.8%
44Lyman County44.6-0.6%
45Douglas County42.1-0%
46Perkins County38+4.7%
47Clark County36.3-1.8%
48Corson County31.8+0.9%
49Potter County30.3+1.8%
50Haakon County29.9+1.5%
51Bennett County27.9+3.3%
52Aurora County27-2.2%
53Hanson County24.5+6.4%
54Miner County24.1+1.1%
55Faulk County23.6-1.8%
56Jackson County23.6+2.6%
57Harding County22.9-3.9%
58Sully County21.6-6.1%
59Hyde County20.4-4.5%
60Sanborn County20.3-3.7%
61Buffalo County20+2%
62McPherson County19.2-2%
63Campbell County18.2-1.3%
64Jones County14.1+0.4%
65Ziebach County10.1-1.6%
66Mellette County9.9-3.1%

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, 2015) [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, 2015. 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?period=2015. 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, 2015. 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?period=2015.

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, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-dakota-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_south_dakota_2015,
  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, 2015}},
  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?period=2015. 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, 2015
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?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/south-dakota-counties?period=2015.
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 $5.83 billion in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Mellette County, with $9.93 million in 2015.

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