County profile · South Dakota
Pennington County, SD market data
How Pennington County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 116,792
- +6.6% since 2020
- Households
- 46,370
- Median household income
- $74,517
- +30.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $302,200
- Jobs located here
- 59,416
- Highest market score
- 77
- Grocery stores, #257 of 2,070 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Pennington County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Pennington County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Pennington County has an estimated 116,792 people and 46,370 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Pennington County grew 6.6%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Pennington County is $74,517, 8% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 30.6%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Pennington County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 121, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (69).
Of the business types scored in Pennington County, grocery stores (77), funeral homes (76) and grocery and convenience stores (69) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For grocery stores, that ranks #257 of 2,070 scored counties.
Pennington County is part of the Rapid City metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for roofing and gutter companies (2.7 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for barbershops (23% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Pennington County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Pennington County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grocery stores | 77 | #257 of 2,070 | 26 | 5.6 | $10.7M | 115 | 13 |
| Funeral homes | 76 | #122 of 1,472 | 7 | 1.5 | $977K | 144 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 69 | #485 of 2,402 | 108 | 23.3 | $2.6M | 76 | 17 |
| Convenience stores | 66 | #568 of 2,261 | 60 | 12.9 | $4.6M | 59 | 4 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 65 | #370 of 1,656 | 27 | 5.8 | $2.4M | 135 | 85 |
| Laundromats | 63 | #228 of 785 | 5 | 1.1 | $18.1M | 145 | 5 |
| Barbershops | 62 | #405 of 1,356 | 19 | 4.1 | $2.4M | 127 | 4 |
| Hair salons | 60 | #697 of 2,339 | 106 | 22.9 | $430K | 100 | 24 |
| Gyms | 59 | #584 of 1,792 | 38 | 8.2 | $1.1M | 83 | 13 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 58 | #450 of 1,334 | 22 | 4.7 | $1.9M | 92 | 12 |
| Veterinarians | 58 | #543 of 1,485 | 17 | 3.7 | $2.3M | 83 | 14 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 56 | #273 of 777 | 12 | 2.6 | $3.4M | 84 | 13 |
| Physical therapy | 55 | #592 of 1,422 | 31 | 6.7 | $2.1M | 87 | 21 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 55 | #607 of 1,461 | 19 | 4.1 | $2M | 80 | 12 |
| Pet businesses | 54 | #916 of 2,200 | 55 | 11.9 | $702K | 80 | 30 |
| Tire shops | 52 | #735 of 1,530 | 27 | 5.8 | $2M | 79 | 15 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 52 | #979 of 2,088 | 72 | 15.5 | $569K | 86 | 25 |
| Nail salons | 50 | #709 of 1,328 | 29 | 6.3 | $1.6M | 94 | 14 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 50 | #931 of 1,889 | 42 | 9.1 | $4.2M | 102 | 45 |
| Pizza | 50 | #1,028 of 2,090 | 44 | 9.5 | $4.1M | 80 | 108 |
| Gas stations | 50 | #1,171 of 2,358 | 78 | 16.8 | $1.7M | 73 | 66 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 50 | #1,177 of 2,405 | 262 | 56.5 | $680K | 103 | 105 |
| Auto repair shops | 46 | #1,403 of 2,378 | 137 | 29.5 | $392K | 88 | 101 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 46 | #1,424 of 2,385 | 220 | 47.4 | $207K | 97 | 59 |
| Pet stores | 45 | #579 of 974 | 15 | 3.2 | $2.6M | 57 | 4 |
| Auto repair and car care | 44 | #1,479 of 2,401 | 238 | 51.3 | $226K | 84 | 146 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 43 | #921 of 1,493 | 28 | 6.0 | $2M | 69 | 51 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 42 | #599 of 887 | 26 | 5.6 | Index only | 64 | 6 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 42 | #860 of 1,327 | 25 | 5.4 | $2.1M | 70 | 38 |
| Car washes and detailing | 41 | #966 of 1,451 | 32 | 6.9 | $1.7M | 67 | 22 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 41 | #1,185 of 1,707 | 39 | 8.4 | $3.2M | 68 | 52 |
| Spas and skin care | 41 | #1,222 of 1,769 | 62 | 13.4 | $735K | 84 | 16 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 40 | #1,307 of 1,886 | 79 | 17.0 | $823K | 84 | 62 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 40 | #1,415 of 2,087 | 99 | 21.4 | $915K | 72 | 62 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 40 | #1,514 of 2,222 | 90 | 19.4 | $2M | 65 | 108 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 40 | #1,630 of 2,405 | 573 | 123.6 | $311K | 84 | 260 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 39 | #938 of 1,302 | 33 | 7.1 | $2M | 63 | 16 |
| Child care and preschools | 39 | #1,132 of 1,611 | 34 | 7.3 | $549K | 55 | 32 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 39 | #1,563 of 2,210 | 136 | 29.3 | $666K | 76 | 70 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 38 | #1,790 of 2,394 | 618 | 133.3 | $105K | 69 | 227 |
| Chiropractors | 37 | #1,111 of 1,490 | 54 | 11.6 | $1.2M | 50 | 33 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 36 | #1,566 of 2,063 | 83 | 17.9 | $2.1M | 58 | 45 |
| Property management | 34 | #722 of 910 | 16 | 3.5 | Index only | 73 | 40 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 33 | #1,481 of 1,771 | 48 | 10.4 | $1.2M | 70 | 111 |
| Electricians | 31 | #982 of 1,160 | 26 | 5.6 | $4.8M | 40 | 49 |
| Home repair trades | 31 | #1,833 of 2,057 | 110 | 23.7 | $1.1M | 47 | 124 |
| Insurance agencies | 29 | #1,845 of 2,272 | 85 | 18.3 | $966K | 77 | 83 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 29 | #2,061 of 2,176 | 190 | 41.0 | Index only | 63 | 114 |
| Real estate | 29 | #2,104 of 2,229 | 236 | 50.9 | Index only | 63 | 178 |
| Roofing and gutters | 26 | #1,061 of 1,177 | 45 | 9.7 | $2.8M | 33 | 23 |
| House cleaning | 24 | #793 of 847 | 16 | 3.5 | $3.5M | 55 | 56 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.9 | Index only | 62 | 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.9 | $14.2M | 139 | 4 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.6 | $30.2M | 193 | 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.4 | $26.8M | Too few | 7 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.4 | $32.5M | Too few | 10 |
Household spending in Pennington County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $53.7M | $1,158 | 121 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $135.3M | $2,918 | 112 |
| Food away from home | $178.2M | $3,844 | 94 |
| Groceries | $278.7M | $6,011 | 95 |
| Personal care products and services | $45.6M | $983 | 98 |
| Child care and other personal services | $18.7M | $402 | 69 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $41M | $884 | 90 |
| Medical and dental services | $65M | $1,402 | 109 |
| Pets | $38.6M | $833 | 92 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $90.5M | $1,953 | 95 |
| Vehicle insurance | $82.1M | $1,771 | 91 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $125.6M | $2,709 | 90 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $56.8M | $1,224 | 87 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $647.8M | $13,971 | 84 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Pennington County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 116,792+6.6% since 2020
- Households
- 46,370
- Median age
- 41.0
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 69%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 2,777 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 41
- Median household income
- $74,517+30.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $99,289
- Median home value
- $302,200
- Jobs located here
- 59,416
- Daytime population
- 120,445Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Pennington County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Pennington County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
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Questions
How fast is Pennington County, SD growing?
Population estimates put Pennington County at 116,792 people in 2025, up 6.6% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 46,370 households. Median household income rose 30.6% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Pennington County, SD spend?
Households in Pennington County spend about $647.8M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $278.7M on groceries and $178.2M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Pennington County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 121, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (69).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Pennington County, SD?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Pennington County are for grocery stores (77), funeral homes (76) and grocery and convenience stores (69). Pennington County ranks #257 of 2,070 scored counties for grocery stores.
How does Pennington County, SD compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Pennington County is $74,517 a year, 8% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 6.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $302,200, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Pennington County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for roofing and gutter companies (2.7 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for barbershops (23% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 51 of the 56 business types have a score in Pennington County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Pennington County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Pennington County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Pennington County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.