Buffalo County vs Mellette County
A side-by-side comparison of Buffalo County and Mellette County: population, income, housing, and more.
Buffalo County and Mellette County are counties in South Dakota. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Mellette County has the higher population (2,043 vs 1,757 in Buffalo County). Mellette County has the higher median household income ($51,364 vs $47,000 in Buffalo County). Buffalo County has the higher median home value ($108,000 vs $63,000 in Mellette County).
Population, income & housing
| Buffalo County | Mellette County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,757 | 2,043 |
| Median age | 26.2 yrs | 31.0 yrs |
| Median household income | $47,000 | $51,364 |
| Median home value | $108,000 | $63,000 |
| Median gross rent | $535 | $737 |
| Housing units | 577 | 779 |
| Homeownership rate | 52.6% | 59.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.0% | 16.3% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.7% | 14.7% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Buffalo County | Mellette County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,026 → 1,757 (-13.3%) | 2,052 → 2,043 (-0.4%) |
| Median household income | $34,808 → $47,000 (+35.0%) | $30,650 → $51,364 (+67.6%) |
| Median home value | $49,000 → $108,000 (+120.4%) | $32,100 → $63,000 (+96.3%) |
| Median gross rent | $437 → $535 (+22.4%) | $502 → $737 (+46.8%) |
Buffalo County
2,0261,757
$34,808$47,000
$49,000$108,000
$437$535
Mellette County
2,0522,043
$30,650$51,364
$32,100$63,000
$502$737
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Buffalo County | Mellette County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 12.1% | 7.6% |
| 5 to 17 | 24.1% | 24.0% |
| 18 to 24 | 11.6% | 7.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.0% | 10.9% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 65 to 74 | 5.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and over | 3.4% | 4.9% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Buffalo County | Mellette County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 21.2% | 31.6% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 73.4% | 61.7% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Some other race | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 1.1% | 5.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.3% | 0.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Buffalo County | Mellette County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 14.4% | 15.4% |
| High school graduate | 47.6% | 41.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 31.0% | 27.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 4.5% | 13.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 2.5% | 3.2% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Buffalo County | Mellette County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 76.7% | 66.5% |
| Carpooled | 3.1% | 20.4% |
| Public transit | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 5.2% | 5.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 12.9% | 5.9% |
| Other means | 2.1% | 2.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Buffalo County | Mellette County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 65.9% | 68.9% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.7% | 0.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 2.1% | 3.7% |
| 5 to 19 units | 5.5% | 0.0% |
| 20 or more units | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 23.7% | 26.8% |
Poverty & households
| Buffalo County | Mellette County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 32.5% | 46.2% |
| Average household size | 3.54 | 3.24 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 14 | 16 |
| Median year structure built | 1976 | 1972 |
Full profiles
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