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Pierre, SD

Photo: Wikipedia

Pierre, SD

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Demographics

Predominantly WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 33
Population14,008
Foreign Born0.2%
Population Density1,075people per mi²
Median Age39.9 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
StableSince 2010, this city has held a relatively stable population and racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

79/100

21% below national average

A+

The Real Cost of Living in Pierre, South Dakota

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $15k$28k
Comfortable $43k$63k
Luxury $109k+$170k+
Elite (Top 5%) $129k+$200k+
Affordability Ratio

118%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A+
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean95%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
16
Positive
19
Poor
1
Negative
1

Groceries

1 within 10 miles

0.6mi

Gas

3 within 10 miles

0.3mi

Hospital

1 within 20 miles

1.5mi

Airport

DEN — Denver International

383.3mi

Post Office

USPS — Pierre, SD

19.1mi

Critical Amenities

Country Clubs

Nearest private club or country club.

Golf2Nearest 2.1 mi
Camping0 
Marina0 
Winery0 
Ice Rink0 
Gun Range1Nearest 5.7 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
C
Average

A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.

Median HHI
$74k-8.0%
1% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$1.2M
77% above US avg
College Educated
34.8%
1% below US avg
WFH
4.6%
68% below US avg
Homeownership
72.0%
10% above US avg
Median Home
$220k
22% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
B
Safe

Generally safer than 65% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
23.3
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
+28.4%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr+71.0%
Homicide
0.00 / 1k Residents100% below state avg
Robbery
0.15 / 1k Residents14% below state avg
Aggravated Assault
4.37 / 1k Residents91% above state avg

Property Crime

5yr−14.2%
Burglary
1.90 / 1k Residents27% above state avg
Larceny-Theft
14.87 / 1k Residents50% above state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
0.88 / 1k Residents33% below state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+15Solidly Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Pierre, South Dakota
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%70%2000200420082012201620202024

Inherited from parent state — no local data available.

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B+
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
B+
Good8.4% of income
Property Rights
B
GoodIJ Grade B
Firearm Rights
A-
GreatFPC Grade A-
Homeschooling
A-
GoodLow regulation

Energy independence: Importer (35% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
A-
OpenFarm sales legal
Gambling Laws
A
Broadly OpenCasinos · Poker · Sportsbetting
Marijuana Laws
C+
LimitedMedical only

Homesteading

Growing Season165 days211 frost-free
Annual Rainfall19.6"
Elevation1,696 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
B+
Defensible

Workable tactical position. Some exposure to population density or targets, but generally defensible in a crisis.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
A+
Great1357 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
C-
Weak1,075/sq mi
Fallout Danger
F
Poor0 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
A
GoodInland Flooding, Cold Wave, Tornado, Wildfire, Strong Wind
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 319 mi · coast 1045 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$9.9M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityLincoln291k people are 307 mi away
Nearest Major AirportNo hub airport within 50 mi
Distance to State Capital1.6 miPierre, SD
Nearest Prison1.3 mi1 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-21T10:56:14.000Z

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