The Town Files

Hughes County, South Dakota

17,664 people. The median home is worth $242,000 (typical South Dakota town: $182,100) and the median household earns $81,395.

Towns in Hughes County

Towns in Hughes County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Pierre14,091$230,700$77,67239.4

People and housing

Hughes CountyTypical South Dakota town
Median home value$242,000$182,100
Median rent$990$785
Median household income$81,395$66,086
Median age39.539.5
Bachelor's degree or higher39.0%23.6%
Below the poverty line9.2%10.1%

Jobs and pay

10,867 jobs in 2024, average pay $61,739 a year.

Largest industries in Hughes CountyHealth care & social assistan…1,410 jobs · $64,184Retail1,334 jobs · $38,846Hotels & restaurants798 jobs · $22,210Finance & insurance549 jobs · $101,507Professional & technical serv…478 jobs · $88,484Construction451 jobs · $65,486
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Hughes County0%2%4%2000200420082012201620202023 1.6%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 672 storm events in Hughes County from 1996 to 2026.

Storm events in Hughes County by type since 1996Hail166Flood22Drought32Blizzard40High Wind103Heavy Snow30Flash Flood14Winter Storm25Excessive Heat17Cold/Wind Chill3
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Hughes County has been included in 17 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 1, 2026Severe StormDR-4938: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
April 5, 2020BiologicalDR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3475: Covid-19
June 7, 2019FloodDR-4440: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding
July 30, 2015Severe StormDR-4233: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
August 2, 2013Severe StormDR-4137: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).