HomeSouth DakotaLincoln County
Lincoln County, South Dakota: commercial real estate data.
Lincoln County, South Dakota has a population of 70,638 across 577 square miles, up 15.5 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $8.82 bn in 2024, 2,184 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 111 7(a) approvals worth $42.9 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Lincoln County
How many people live in Lincoln County
- Population70,638
- Households27,879
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$99,166
- Median age35.9
- Median gross rent$1,260 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$348,300
- Home value to household income3.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher44.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over46,485
- Population under 1818,691
- Share under 1826.5 percent
- Population 65 and over10,366
- Share 65 and over14.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6441,581
- Civilian labor force40,759
- Unemployment rate1.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over78.5 percent
- Rank by population among South Dakota counties3rd of 66
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents784th
Lincoln County is the 3rd largest of 66 South Dakota counties by population. A median home costs 3.5 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 26.5 percent against 14.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lincoln County
Is Lincoln County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base15.48 percent
- Census 2020 base population65,156
- Births, 2024564
- Deaths, 2024380
- Natural change, 2024184
- Net domestic migration, 20241,824
- Net international migration, 202489
- Total net migration, 20241,913
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20247,684
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents53rd
The county has grown 15.48 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lincoln County
Where people moving to Lincoln County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,805
- People arriving, from those returns6,628
- Adjusted gross income arriving$318.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$83,648
- Largest single originLincoln County Non-migrants (25,294 households)
- Largest single destination (25,294 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County Non-migrants | 25,294 | 57,148 | $3.81 bn |
| Minnehaha County | 1,881 | 3,304 | $161.8 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,146 | 2,105 | $100.6 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 580 | 981 | $56.0 m |
| Other flows - West | 295 | 591 | $24.2 m |
| Other flows - South | 218 | 428 | $15.6 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 134 | 207 | $7.5 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 53 | 105 | $4.7 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Lincoln County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Lincoln County
What the Lincoln County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$8.82 bn
- County GDP, 2023$8.65 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.0 percent
- GDP change over five years57.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among South Dakota counties2nd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents491st
- GDP per resident$124,902
Output grew 2.0 percent in the latest year and 57.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Lincoln County
Who employs people in Lincoln County
- Covered employment, annual average29,694
- Establishments reporting2,515
- Average annual pay$65,125
- Average weekly wage$1,252
- Sector 62, employment5,481
- Sector 62, average annual pay$66,351
- Sector 52, employment2,959
- Sector 52, average annual pay$109,824
- Sector 44-45, employment2,948
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$42,626
- Sector 23, employment2,851
- Sector 23, average annual pay$70,056
- Sector 31-33, employment2,650
- Sector 72, employment2,136
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 5,481 | 234 | $66,351 |
| Sector 52 | 2,959 | 239 | $109,824 |
| Sector 44-45 | 2,948 | 176 | $42,626 |
| Sector 23 | 2,851 | 365 | $70,056 |
| Sector 31-33 | 2,650 | 70 | $63,050 |
| Sector 72 | 2,136 | 100 | $22,164 |
| Sector 54 | 1,591 | 374 | $95,421 |
| Sector 42 | 1,110 | 222 | $91,977 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 5,481 jobs, 18.5 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lincoln County
What businesses operate in Lincoln County
- Establishments, all industries2,184
- Employment at those establishments29,283
- Annual payroll$1.78 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents30.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lincoln County
What is being built in Lincoln County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024268
- Declared construction value permitted$65.7 m
- Single family units authorised206
- Multifamily units authorised62
- Multifamily share of units23.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$245,077
- Units authorised per 1,000 households9.6
Multifamily is 23.1 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lincoln County
How much SBA lending happens in Lincoln County
- 7(a) approvals recorded111
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$42.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$386,411
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$22,700
- 90th percentile approval$812,600
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)907
- Jobs per approval8.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active26
- Distinct industries receiving approvals72
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer8.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms9
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter95
- Franchise loans11
- Franchise share of approvals9.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countPoured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors (6)
- Most active lenderThe First National Bank in Sioux Falls (31)
- 504 approvals recorded157
- 504 gross approval dollars$94.7 m
- Average 504 approval$603,401
- Median 504 approval$426,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval8.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.8
- Most active CDCDakota Business Finance (115)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals41.4 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$137.6 m
The average approval of $386,411 sits well above the median of $150,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 8.1 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lincoln County
Do SBA loans in Lincoln County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded35
- Paid in full33
- Charged off2
- Charge off rate on resolved loans5.7 percent
- Status: Paid in full33
- Status: Cancelled7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure67
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Of the 35 loans that have reached a final outcome, 5.7 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lincoln County
Which parts of Lincoln County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending8
- Sioux Falls, approvals54
- TEA, approvals22
- Harrisburg, approvals13
- Lennox, approvals10
- Worthing, approvals5
- Canton, approvals5
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | 54 | $21,941,500 |
| TEA | 22 | $9,701,400 |
| Harrisburg | 13 | $3,535,600 |
| Lennox | 10 | $3,715,900 |
| Worthing | 5 | $2,343,000 |
| Canton | 5 | $1,623,500 |
| Sioux Fall | 1 | $22,700 |
| HUDSON | 1 | $8,000 |
Sioux Falls accounts for 54 approvals against 22 in TEA. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lincoln County
How big is Lincoln County
- Land area577 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Dakota counties51st of 66
- Width, east to west24.6 mi
- Height, north to south28.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land122
- Establishments per square mile3.79
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Lincoln County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Lincoln County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population70,638
- Households27,879
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$99,166
- Median age35.9
Common questions
Lincoln County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lincoln County, South Dakota?
70,638, in 27,879 households, ranking 3rd of 66 South Dakota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lincoln County growing?
The population has grown 15.48 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 564 births against 380 deaths, with net migration of 1,913. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lincoln County?
$99,166. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $348,300, which is 3.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,260 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Lincoln County?
2,184 establishments, employing 29,283 people with an annual payroll of $1.78 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Lincoln County?
Average annual pay is $65,125, or $1,252 a week, across 29,694 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lincoln County?
111 7(a) approvals totalling $42.9 m since FY2020, across 26 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 157 504 approvals worth $94.7 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Lincoln County get paid back?
Of the 35 loans that have reached a final outcome, 33 were paid in full and 2 charged off, a charge off rate of 5.7 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Lincoln County?
268 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $65.7 m. Multifamily was 23.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lincoln County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Lincoln County come from?
The largest single origin is Lincoln County Non-migrants, with 25,294 households. Arriving households report an average income of $83,648 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lincoln County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Lincoln County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.