The Town Files

Brown County, South Dakota

37,877 people. The median home is worth $221,100 (typical South Dakota town: $182,100) and the median household earns $70,898.

Towns in Brown County

Towns in Brown County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Aberdeen28,495$217,300$64,40536.4
Groton1,380$190,600$89,86133.9

People and housing

Brown CountyTypical South Dakota town
Median home value$221,100$182,100
Median rent$777$785
Median household income$70,898$66,086
Median age37.839.5
Bachelor's degree or higher33.8%23.6%
Below the poverty line11.7%10.1%

Jobs and pay

19,808 jobs in 2024, average pay $54,430 a year.

Largest industries in Brown CountyHealth care & social assistan…3,183 jobs · $60,760Retail2,759 jobs · $36,114Manufacturing2,611 jobs · $61,843Hotels & restaurants1,818 jobs · $20,675Wholesale trade1,040 jobs · $78,052Construction1,006 jobs · $64,544
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Brown County0%2%4%2000200420082012201620202023 2%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 1,202 storm events in Brown County from 1996 to 2026, with 6 deaths.

Storm events in Brown County by type since 1996Hail329Flood171Drought30Tornado33Blizzard49High Wind58Heavy Snow38Flash Flood24Winter Storm27Excessive Heat16
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Brown County has been included in 19 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
July 6, 2023FloodDR-4718: Flooding
April 5, 2020BiologicalDR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3475: Covid-19
June 7, 2019FloodDR-4440: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding
May 13, 2011FloodDR-1984: Flooding
May 13, 2010FloodDR-1915: Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).