South Dakota County Poverty

What is commonly known about South Dakota is its natural beauty, historic landmarks, and Native American heritage, but hidden within this is a long-running economic problem, high poverty rates within most of the counties, and mostly relating to Native American reservations. Some of the poorest counties in the United States are located in the state, and poverty rates are more than twice as high, and almost four times higher, as compared to the national poverty rate of about 12.

A large number of these counties, including Oglala Lakota, Todd, and Buffalo, are situated on or near the reservations such as Pine Ridge, Rosebud, and Crow Creek. These neighborhoods experience a history of economic difficulties that are associated with historical injustices, employment disadvantages, insufficient infrastructure, poor access to healthcare, and insufficient schools. High unemployment rates and generational poverty also play a role in the cycle, and it is highly challenging to address family economic hardship.

Poverty in Selected Counties in South Dakota

The county data of counties with some of the highest levels of poverty in South Dakota are shown below (HDPulse):

Key Takeaways

• Covered by Oglala Lakota County (Pine Ridge Reservation), it is the poorest county in the US, as almost half the residents are below the poverty line.
• Jackson, Todd, and Corson counties are also in the bottom 10 in the country.
• It is closely associated with the high poverty rates in the reservation areas where historical and structural problems, e.g., no investments, low-funded schools, no healthcare, and high unemployment rates have remained the same.
• Despite its immensely small population, Buffalo County is always ranked among the poorest U.S. counties because its level of household income is very low.
• In all, 8 out of the 10 poorest counties in the U.S. are in South Dakota, which illustrates the fact that poverty is concentrated in rural and reservation communities.