1st Advantage MortgageHand County households have a median income of $74,635 and median rent of $587 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in South Dakota before sharing details.
On this page
- Hand County by the numbers
- Rent, home values and ownership in Hand County
- Paychecks and income spread in Hand County
- How Hand County residents earn a living
- Hand County and the counties next door
- Towns and communities in Hand County
- Hand County households compared
- Before borrowing in Hand County
- A Hand County household budget, worked through
- South Dakota rules that apply in Hand County
- Steps before you apply in Hand County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Hand County by the numbers
Hand County is home to about 3,140 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 46th most populous of 66 county-level areas in South Dakota. It covers 1,437 square miles of land, or about 2 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 5 Census places inside Hand County, Miller leads by population with about 1,363; 4 of the 5 are incorporated. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Hand County figure on this page as a rough guide.
Rent, home values and ownership in Hand County
Renters in Hand County pay a median of $587 a month, 38% below the South Dakota figure of $946. 22% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 11% spend half or more. Home values center on $159,300, or 2.1 years of median income. The ownership rate is 65%. The median home was built in 1966, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Hand County | South Dakota | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $587/mo | $946/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $159,300 | $257,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 65% | 69% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 22% | 40% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 7.0% | 7.2% | n/a |
Paychecks and income spread in Hand County
At $74,635, the typical Hand County household income is 14% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). Only 22 South Dakota counties post a higher median.
| Household income | Hand County | vs South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 24.3% | +3.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.7% | -3.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.6% | +1.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.3% | -0.8 pts |
Some 24% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 36% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 5.2% of Hand County residents in poverty, against 11.9% across South Dakota. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.471 (0 is perfect equality). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
How Hand County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 30% of employed Hand County residents work in agriculture, forestry and mining and 21% in education and health care. The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 30% locally and 6% for South Dakota. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 0.8% in Hand County. Long commutes are the exception here: 8% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Sector | Hand County | Compared with South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 30.1% | +23.7 pts |
| Education and health care | 20.7% | -4.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.3% | -0.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.2% | -2.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 6.1% | -3.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 5.8% | -5.7 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Hand County and the counties next door
Six nearby counties, 23 to 42 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Jerauld County leads the group on income ($73,750), Buffalo County trails ($47,045), and Hand County out-earns 6 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand County | - | $74,635 | $587/mo | 65% |
| Hyde County, SD | 23 mi | $73,472 | $836/mo | 83% |
| Buffalo County, SD | 36 mi | $47,045 | $540/mo | 53% |
| Faulk County, SD | 37 mi | $57,750 | $771/mo | 80% |
| Beadle County, SD | 37 mi | $67,681 | $879/mo | 73% |
| Jerauld County, SD | 38 mi | $73,750 | $632/mo | 84% |
| Spink County, SD | 42 mi | $70,139 | $734/mo | 73% |
Towns and communities in Hand County
5 Census places fall mainly inside Hand County; the 5 biggest are below. They account for 1,855 residents, leaving about 41% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Live in one of these Hand County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miller | city | 1,363 | $57,500 | $564 | 2 mi |
| Wessington | city | 192 | $58,125 | $538 | 16 mi |
| St. Lawrence | town | 172 | $46,000 | n/a | 4 mi |
| Millerdale Colony | CDP | 90 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
| Ree Heights | town | 38 | $74,196 | n/a | 10 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Hand County households compared
28% of Hand County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 5.0%, against 9.0% for South Dakota.
| Measure | Hand County | South Dakota statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.5 | 38.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 28.4% | 31.9% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 4.9% | 6.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.0% | 9.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 9.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 5.2% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 0.8% | 2.9% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Hand County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 67.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 12.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 11.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.9% |
| 60+ min | 1.2% |
Before borrowing in Hand County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Hand County borrowers.
- Consolidating cards in Hand County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Hand County borrower sees (free reports).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
A Hand County household budget, worked through
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Hand County's medians:
- Median income divided by twelve: $6,220 before taxes
- 9% goes to median rent ($587)
- With a 36% ceiling, about $1,652 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
If your rent is above $587, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
South Dakota rules that apply in Hand County
Hand County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the South Dakota Division of Banking. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the South Dakota state guide for the statewide picture.
Steps before you apply in Hand County
Before you apply, wherever you live in Hand County:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Nearby and statewide guides
The South Dakota guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Hand County household make?
About $74,635 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24).
How does Hand County rent compare with South Dakota?
$587 locally versus $946 for the state, 38% below.
I live in a small Hand County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Miller, Wessington, St. Lawrence, Millerdale Colony, Ree Heights.
Is the fit check different in Hand County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Is there a Hand County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In South Dakota it is the South Dakota Division of Banking.