Douglas County Population Trends

Douglas County Population Trends
1920	1940	1960	1980	1990	2000	2010	2020
6,993	6,348	5,113	4,181	3,746	3,458	3,008	2,708

Where People Live in 2000 (by percent)
	South Dakota	Douglas	Aurora	Hutchinson
Urban	51.92	0	0	0
Rural-Farm	7.72	31.75	26.78	23.34
Rural-Non farm	40.36	68.25	73.22	76.66

Douglas County Population Highlights

From 1990 to 2000, Douglas County lost 288 residents, which was a 7.7% decrease in its total population.

From 1990 to 2000, Douglas County lost 285 residents to out-migration, which was a 7.5% decrease in its total population.

From the population pyramid, we can tell that many of the out-migrants are aged 20-29.

27.70% of Douglas County’s residents are below the age of 18, while 22.56% are aged 65+.

Douglas County’s median age is 41.5. This is older than both Aurora and Hutchinson counties.

Douglas County’s sex ratio is 95.15, meaning that there are about 95 males for every 100 females. This is much lower than Aurora, but comparable with Hutchinson.

Douglas County’s fertility rate is 60.2 births for every 1,000 women aged 15-44. This is higher than Aurora, but lower than Hutchinson.

Race/Ethnicity in Douglas County

Douglas County’s Agriculture in 2002

Douglas County’s average farm size was 571 acres. This was smaller than Aurora, but larger than Hutchinson.

Douglas County’s average net farm income was $35,323. This was higher than both Aurora and Hutchinson counties.

Douglas County Economics in 2000

Douglas County’s per capita income was $13,827. This was lower than both Aurora and Hutchinson counties.

Douglas County’s median household income was $28,478. This was lower than both Aurora and Hutchinson counties.

14.5% of Douglas County’s residents aged 25+ had completed a B.S. degree or higher. This is higher than both Aurora and Hutchinson counties.

14.59% of Douglas County’s population is living at or below the official poverty line. This compares with 13.18% for the state of South Dakota, 11.44% for Aurora County, and 12.95% for Hutchinson County.

17.79% of Douglas County’s children under the age of 5 are living at or below the official poverty line. This compares with 19.77% for the state of South Dakota, 18.39% for Aurora County, and 17.70% for Hutchinson County.

19.3% of Douglas County’s working-aged population commutes to work in another county. This is lower than both Aurora and Hutchinson counties.

Douglas County Employment by Industry

Top Industries (in terms of numbers)	Percentage	Number
Agriculture	27.01	431
Educational, health, and social services	24.81	396
Retail	8.08	129
Manufacturing	7.21	115
Construction	6.52	104
Public Administration	3.13	50
Total		1,596

Income Distribution

Data compiled by:

W. Trevor Brooks

Rural Life and Census Data Center

South Dakota State University

Sources:

South Dakota Data Center (Vermillion, SD)

South Dakota Labor Market

U.S. Census of Agriculture (2002)

U.S. Census Bureau (2000)