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Custer, SD

Full City Profile · South Dakota · Custer County County

3.5 /5.0
B+ Good
2,148 Population 839/sq mi density
$80,188 Median Income $51,795 per capita
$229,500 Home Value $464,861 Zillow
$926 Median Rent 23.0% income on rent
45°F Avg Temperature 291 sunny days/yr
86 Violent Crime/100K 690 property/100K
B+
Overall
3.5 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A+
Economy
4.6 / 5.0
$80,188 median income, 1.7% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$229,500 home value, $926/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
86 violent crimes/100K
B
Education
3.4 / 5.0
30.1% bachelor's degree or higher

Custer, SD

At a Glance

Median Income
$80,188
7% above
$51,795 per capita
Home Value
$229,500
19% below
Zillow: $464,861
Median Rent
$926/mo
20% below
23.0% of income on rent
Violent Crime
86/100K
77% below
690/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
30.1%
11% below
93.7% high school+
Unemployment
1.7%
53% below
4.5% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
32.8%
2% above
13.6% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
45°F
291 sunny days/yr

How Custer Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Custer's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
107%
Home Value
81%
Rent
80%
Poverty
36%
Bachelor's
89%
Unemployment
47%
Crime
23%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Custer a Good Place to Live?

B+
3.5 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Custer residents earn a median household income of $80,188 , which is 7% above the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $51,795. The unemployment rate stands at 1.7% (53% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 4.5% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 421 business establishments, including 67 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Custer is $229,500 , 19% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $464,861. Median rent is $926/month, with 23.0% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 88.6 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1970.

Safety & Crime

Custer reports 86 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 77% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 690/100K.

Education

30.1% of adults in Custer hold a bachelor's degree or higher (11% below the national average). 93.7% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.3/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Custer has an average annual temperature of 45°F (7°C). Winters average 27°F in January while summers reach 68°F in July. The area gets 291 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 20.7 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 44.

Data Overview

People

Population2,148
Median Age54.9 yrs
Density839/mi²
Male / Female46% / 54%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans14.1%

Economy

A+
Median Income$80,188
Per Capita$51,795
Unemployment1.7%
Poverty4.5%
County GDP$398M
Avg Weekly Wage$913

Housing

A+
Home Value$229,500
Rent$926
Ownership66.0%
Zillow$464,861
Housing Units1,180
Rent Burden23.0%

Crime

F
Violent86/100K
Property690/100K

Health

Obesity32.8%
Diabetes8.4%
Smoking13.6%
Heart Disease4.9%
Premature Death5,543/100K

Climate

Avg Temp45°F
Sunny Days291/yr
Rain20.7 in/yr
AQI44 (Good)
Elevation5,316 ft

Education

B
Bachelor's+30.1%
High School+93.7%
Graduate+9.1%
School Score5.3/10

Community

2024 VoteR 72% / D 26%
Commute21 min
Broadband87.5%
Internet Speed36 Mbps
EV Stations9
Libraries2

Did You Know?

Custer was founded in 1875.
The median home in Custer was built in 1970.
The nearest airport is Rapid City Regional (33 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.446 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Very Low" by FEMA.
24.3% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
The county recorded 1 fatal vehicle crashes.
91 declared natural disasters on record.