The Town Files

Clay County, South Dakota

15,219 people. The median home is worth $232,300 (typical South Dakota town: $182,100) and the median household earns $56,850.

Towns in Clay County

Towns in Clay County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Vermillion11,695$219,000$50,45623.1

People and housing

Clay CountyTypical South Dakota town
Median home value$232,300$182,100
Median rent$770$785
Median household income$56,850$66,086
Median age24.939.5
Bachelor's degree or higher45.4%23.6%
Below the poverty line19.7%10.1%

Jobs and pay

6,066 jobs in 2024, average pay $48,924 a year.

Largest industries in Clay CountyRetail749 jobs · $32,698Health care & social assistan…621 jobs · $40,694Manufacturing219 jobs · $73,554Transportation & warehousing214 jobs · $54,807Construction156 jobs · $55,550Other services152 jobs · $52,727
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Clay County0%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023 2.1%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 630 storm events in Clay County from 1996 to 2026.

Storm events in Clay County by type since 1996Hail147Flood48Drought58Tornado13Blizzard25High Wind36Flash Flood19Winter Storm35Excessive Heat22Winter Weather86
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

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

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 15, 2024FloodDR-4807: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
June 29, 2022Severe StormDR-4656: Severe Storm, 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 28, 2014FloodDR-4186: 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).