Jury Pool Profile
Custer County, South Dakota
- County seat
- Custer
- Judicial district
- 7th Judicial Circuit Court
- Population (July 2025 estimate)
- 9,431
- Census PEP. The five-year ACS survey average is 8,892.
At a glance
Custer County is a 9,431-person venue. The county population is 89% White (Census race-alone categories). Median household income is $80,312, $2,818 above the SD state median of $77,494; 31.6% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 5.6% of residents 5 and older speak a language other than English at home, most commonly German or other West Germanic and Spanish. The largest employment sector is Leisure & hospitality, at 27.7% of covered employment, average pay $35,190/year. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 2.31%, above the 2.15% state average. The county carried the Republican presidential candidate in 2016, 2020, and 2024, taking 70% to 72% of the vote across the three.
- Population
- 8,892
- Median household income
- $84,112
- Unemployment
- 2.3%
Who sits on a jury?
≥70% White (race-alone) and <20% Black. This county: 89% / 0%.
Custer County has a population of 8,892, with a median age of 57.6. By Census race-alone categories, White residents make up 88.9%; Black residents 0.3%. Independently, 3.1% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The median household earns $80,312; 31.6% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 9.6% live below the federal poverty line.
Economic context
None of the heuristic anchors fired (oil & gas <5%, healthcare/education <20%, manufacturing <15%). Top sector: Leisure & hospitality (27.7%).
Leisure & hospitality is the largest employment sector at 27.7% of covered employment, followed by Trade, transportation & utilities at 15.7%. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 2.31%, above the South Dakota state average.
Political composition
Republican candidate carried this county in 2016, 2020, and 2024 (avg winning share: 71%). 'Strongly' threshold: ≥60% avg.
Custer County was carried by the Republican candidate in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 cycles, with 71.9% in 2024, 70.1% in 2020, 69.8% in 2016.
Languages, households, faith & health
Family households are 70% of all households (thresholds: ≥70% = 'family-dominant'; 50–70% = 'family-majority'; <50% = 'singles/nonfamily-majority'). 5.6% of residents 5 and older speak a language other than English at home (threshold for 'linguistically diverse' is ≥10%).
5.6% of residents 5 years and older speak a language other than English at home. The most common are German or other West Germanic, Spanish, Russian, Polish, or other Slavic. Veterans account for 13.0% of the adult civilian population (995 individuals).