The Town Files

Butte County, South Dakota

10,676 people. The median home is worth $244,600 (typical South Dakota town: $182,100) and the median household earns $75,652.

Towns in Butte County

Towns in Butte County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Belle Fourche5,617$222,500$65,07138.3
Newell584$141,300$84,79238.5

People and housing

Butte CountyTypical South Dakota town
Median home value$244,600$182,100
Median rent$972$785
Median household income$75,652$66,086
Median age40.239.5
Bachelor's degree or higher19.9%23.6%
Below the poverty line8.6%10.1%

Jobs and pay

2,940 jobs in 2024, average pay $45,795 a year.

Largest industries in Butte CountyRetail471 jobs · $39,277Hotels & restaurants308 jobs · $21,165Construction243 jobs · $46,911Manufacturing182 jobs · $47,238Wholesale trade176 jobs · $64,198Other services115 jobs · $48,130
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Butte County0%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023 1.9%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 907 storm events in Butte County from 1996 to 2026, with 1 deaths.

Storm events in Butte County by type since 1996Hail280Flood20Blizzard26High Wind132Heavy Snow14Flash Flood6Funnel Cloud7Winter Storm59Winter Weather36Cold/Wind Chill5
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Butte County has been included in 21 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 2, 2022Severe StormDR-4664: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
April 5, 2020BiologicalDR-4527: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3475: Covid-19
October 7, 2019Severe StormDR-4467: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
September 23, 2019FloodDR-4463: Severe Storms And Flooding
February 1, 2017Severe StormDR-4298: Severe Winter Storm
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).