1st Advantage MortgageDeuel County households have a median income of $83,112 and median rent of $642 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's South Dakota license first.
On this page
- Who lives in Deuel County
- Jobs and commutes in Deuel County
- What Deuel County households earn
- Deuel County housing compared with South Dakota
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Deuel County
- Deuel County next to its neighbors
- Who lives in Deuel County, in numbers
- Borrowing situations common in Deuel County
- Room for a loan payment in Deuel County
- A Deuel County borrower's checklist
- Checking a lender's license in South Dakota
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Deuel County
Roughly 4,328 residents live in Deuel County, South Dakota, 38th by population among the state's 66 counties and county equivalents. It covers 623 square miles of land, or about 7 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Deuel County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Clear Lake is the biggest of its 7 Census places, at roughly 1,327 people (31% of the county total). Because Deuel County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
Jobs and commutes in Deuel County
Education and health care employs 19% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 18%. Compared with South Dakota, the county leans toward manufacturing (18% against 10%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 2.1% in Deuel County. Long commutes are the exception here: 14% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 2.3% of the total (5.2% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Deuel County | Gap to South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 18.9% | -6.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 18.1% | +8.3 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 14.0% | +7.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.1% | -1.4 pts |
| Construction | 8.2% | +0.5 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.7% | +3.4 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Deuel County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
What Deuel County households earn
The median household income in Deuel County is $83,112; statewide it is $75,081, so Deuel County runs 11% above South Dakota as a whole.
| Income band | Share in Deuel County | Difference from South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.9% | +0.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.6% | 0.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.5% | +2.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.0% | -3.1 pts |
The spread is wide: 35% of Deuel County households make $100,000 or more, and 22% make less than $35,000. 8.8% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 11.9%). None of these numbers decides a Deuel County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Deuel County housing compared with South Dakota
Renters in Deuel County pay a median of $642 a month, 32% below the South Dakota figure of $946. By the Census definition, 23% of Deuel County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $205,900, about 2.5 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 83%. Median construction year: 1971.
| Deuel County | South Dakota | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $642/mo | $946/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $205,900 | $257,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 83% | 69% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 23% | 40% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.3% | 7.2% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 19% | 11% | n/a |
Because most Deuel County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Cities, towns and CDPs in Deuel County
Here are the 7 most populous of the county's 7 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 50% of Deuel County residents live in one of the 7. No Deuel County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 7.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Lake | city | 1,327 | $84,792 | $663 | 0 mi |
| Gary | city | 246 | $51,875 | $461 | 12 mi |
| Toronto | town | 238 | $53,125 | $470 | 13 mi |
| Astoria | town | 142 | $38,750 | n/a | 15 mi |
| Goodwin | town | 101 | $53,125 | $533 | 11 mi |
| Brandt | town | 82 | $60,625 | $729 | 7 mi |
| Altamont | town | 46 | n/a | n/a | 6 mi |
Deuel County next to its neighbors
Six nearby counties, 25 to 32 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Hamlin County leads the group on income ($87,101), Lincoln County trails ($69,694), and Deuel County out-earns 5 of the six. The list crosses into Minnesota, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deuel County | - | $83,112 | $642/mo | 83% |
| Hamlin County, SD | 25 mi | $87,101 | $800/mo | 82% |
| Brookings County, SD | 27 mi | $70,064 | $901/mo | 57% |
| Codington County, SD | 29 mi | $72,727 | $938/mo | 70% |
| Grant County, SD | 29 mi | $75,028 | $763/mo | 76% |
| Lac qui Parle County, MN | 30 mi | $74,432 | $728/mo | 83% |
| Lincoln County, MN | 32 mi | $69,694 | $674/mo | 81% |
Who lives in Deuel County, in numbers
College graduates make up 25% of the adult population. About 7% go without health insurance.
| Deuel County | South Dakota | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 | 38.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.1% | 31.9% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.7% | 6.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.9% | 9.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 9.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.1% | 2.9% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 39.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 21.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 24.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.6% |
| 60+ min | 5.3% |
Borrowing situations common in Deuel County
What the Deuel County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Deuel County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
Room for a loan payment in Deuel County
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Deuel County's medians:
- Median income divided by twelve: $6,926 before taxes
- Median rent: $642, or 9 cents of every gross dollar
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $2,128 left for all other debt payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
A Deuel County borrower's checklist
Quick steps for Deuel County:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Deuel County.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Checking a lender's license in South Dakota
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Deuel County, check the South Dakota Division of Banking. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. The South Dakota guide covers state rules in more detail.
Related local guides
The South Dakota guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Deuel County household make?
About $83,112 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 11% above the South Dakota median.
How much is rent in Deuel County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $642 a month; 23% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Should Deuel County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 83% of Deuel County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Which towns does the Deuel County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 7 Census places: Clear Lake, Gary, Toronto, Astoria, Goodwin.
Will a Deuel County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming South Dakota as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.