Pennington County - Demographics & Population

Pennington County is the most populous in the region with an estimated 102,815 residents as of July 1, 2011, according to the U.S. Census. This total reflected a 1.4 percent increase over the prior year. In 2010, 67,956 lived in Rapid City, the county seat. Pennington is also the fastest growing county in the region with a 14.0 percent growth rate between 2000 and 2010, according to the US Census.

Age

The median age in Pennington County is 36.8, nearly identical to the statewide median of 36.9. 

Race

Pennington County is 83.6 percent white and 9.7 percent Native American, making it one of the state’s most diverse counties. The largest Hispanic population in the region accounts for 4.0 percent of Pennington’s population.

Poverty

Pennington County has 14,234 people living at or below the poverty level according to the 2010 US Census, about 14.1 percent of the population. This is in line with the statewide poverty level of 14.2 percent.

According to the South Dakota Kids Count project, the estimated percentage of children under the age of 18 in poverty in Pennington County hovered 19 and 20 percent between 2005 and 2009.

The per capita income in Pennington County is $25,310 and the median household income is $46,972, the highest in the seven-county region. The homeownership rate was 67.7 percent in 2010, and the median owner-occupied house was worth $143,100.

Towns and Cities in Pennington County

Other communities in Pennington County include: Box Elder, Hill City, Wall and New Underwood. Census profiles for Box Elder, Hill City and New Underwood are provided below.