Jury Pool Profile
Mellette County, South Dakota
- County seat
- White River
- Judicial district
- 6th Judicial Circuit Court
- Population (July 2025 estimate)
- 2,137
- Census PEP. The five-year ACS survey average is 1,943.
At a glance
Mellette County is a 2,137-person venue. The county population is 35% White (Census race-alone categories). Median household income is $51,141, $26,353 below the SD state median of $77,494; 19.1% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The largest employment sector is Leisure & hospitality, at 9.2% of covered employment, average pay $11,111/year. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 3.17%, above the 2.15% state average. The county carried the Republican presidential candidate in 2016, 2020, and 2024, taking roughly 58% of the vote each time.
- Population
- 1,943
- Median household income
- $54,076
- Unemployment
- 3.2%
Who sits on a jury?
<50% in any single race-alone group. White here: 35%; Black: 0%.
Mellette County has a population of 1,943, with a median age of 37.5. By Census race-alone categories, White residents make up 34.7%; Black residents 0.0%.
The median household earns $51,141; 19.1% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 25.9% 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 (9.2%).
Leisure & hospitality is the largest employment sector at 9.2% of covered employment, followed by Professional & business services at 4.2%. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 3.17%, above the South Dakota state average.
Political composition
Republican candidate carried this county in 2016, 2020, and 2024 (avg winning share: 59%). 'Strongly' threshold: ≥60% avg.
Mellette County was carried by the Republican candidate in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 cycles, with 58.6% in 2024, 58.4% in 2020, 58.9% in 2016.
Languages, households, faith & health
Family households are 62% of all households (thresholds: ≥70% = 'family-dominant'; 50–70% = 'family-majority'; <50% = 'singles/nonfamily-majority'). 19.1% of residents 5 and older speak a language other than English at home (threshold for 'linguistically diverse' is ≥10%).
19.1% of residents 5 years and older speak a language other than English at home. Veterans account for 8.6% of the adult civilian population (119 individuals).