Jobs, pay and daily life in Aberdeen, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Aberdeen is a city in South Dakota with 28,189 residents. The median household earns $64,405 a year and the median rent is $762 a month, which is 14.2% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Aberdeen compares. Among the 30 largest places in South Dakota, Aberdeen is #3 by population, #3 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #6 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #23 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Brown County, is #15 of 66 counties for average pay ($54,430).
Aberdeen has 28,189 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 3.1% of the population of South Dakota. It covers 17 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,701 people per square mile. The median age is 36.4, 4% younger than the state median (36.4 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $762 a month (rent plus utilities), 19% below the state median ($762 against $946). Over a year that is 14.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $217,300, which is 3.4 times the median household income ($64,405); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 61.7% of households own their home, 10% below the state average (61.7% against 68.6%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Brown County was 1.6%. 68.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Brown County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.0% drive alone, 0.7% use public transit, 3.0% walk, 5.4% work from home. 2.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 56% below the state average (2.9% against 6.6%).
35.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 10% above the state share (35.0% against 31.9%). 5.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 34% above the state share (5.3% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 13.8%, 16% above the state rate (13.8% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 15°F (-9.2°C). About 569 mm (22 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (97 mm) and Jan the driest (11 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Oakes (50 miles, rent 11% higher); Watertown (75 miles, rent 24% higher); Lisbon (77 miles, rent 15% lower); Huron (77 miles, rent 17% higher). Rent differences are against Aberdeen; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in South Dakota (285) →State guide: South DakotaCountry guideBrown CountySouth Dakota rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 285 federal postings open in South Dakota (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.4% |
| Retail trade | 13.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.7% |
| Manufacturing | 11.4% |
| Public administration | 5.7% |
| Construction | 5.7% |
| Other services | 5.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 4.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.4% |
| Information | 1.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Aberdeen lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County | 37,877 | $3,155 million | $83,307 | 19,808 | 1,522 | $54,430 | -0.1% | 1.6% | 19,549 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 3,183 | 19.2% | $60,760 | 1.12 |
| Retail trade | 2,759 | 16.7% | $36,114 | 1.39 |
| Manufacturing | 2,611 | 15.8% | $61,843 | 1.60 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,818 | 11.0% | $20,675 | 1.01 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,040 | 6.3% | $78,052 | 1.33 |
| Construction | 1,006 | 6.1% | $64,544 | 0.97 |
| Finance and insurance | 905 | 5.5% | $82,822 | 1.13 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 621 | 3.8% | $35,043 | 1.04 |
| Professional and technical services | 533 | 3.2% | $70,405 | 0.39 |
| Administrative and waste services | 486 | 2.9% | $47,199 | 0.42 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 407 | 2.5% | $54,192 | 0.49 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 332 | 2.0% | $22,246 | 1.00 |
| Management of companies | 282 | 1.7% | $124,057 | 0.84 |
| Real estate and rental | 161 | 1.0% | $49,434 | 0.52 |
| Information | 160 | 1.0% | $69,281 | 0.43 |
| Educational services | 122 | 0.7% | $20,587 | 0.30 |
| Utilities | 112 | 0.7% | $96,567 | 1.49 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.0% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 3.0% |
| Work from home | 5.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 2.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,405 |
| Income per person | $38,258 |
| Median gross rent per month | $762 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 14.2% |
| Median home value | $217,300 |
| Homeowners | 61.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 35.0% |
| Born abroad | 5.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 68.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -9.2 | 15 | 11 |
| Feb | -7.6 | 18 | 16 |
| Mar | 0.2 | 32 | 26 |
| Apr | 7.2 | 45 | 51 |
| May | 14.1 | 57 | 83 |
| Jun | 20.4 | 69 | 97 |
| Jul | 24.3 | 76 | 75 |
| Aug | 22.4 | 72 | 67 |
| Sep | 17.0 | 63 | 60 |
| Oct | 7.7 | 46 | 49 |
| Nov | 0.3 | 33 | 15 |
| Dec | -6.7 | 20 | 19 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakes | ND | 50 mi | 1,858 | $67,632 | $843 |
| Watertown | SD | 75 mi | 23,044 | $69,600 | $942 |
| Lisbon | ND | 77 mi | 2,259 | $64,327 | $649 |
| Huron | SD | 77 mi | 14,385 | $61,452 | $888 |
| Milbank | SD | 91 mi | 3,525 | $56,011 | $548 |
| Mobridge | SD | 95 mi | 2,932 | $65,357 | $953 |
| Jamestown | ND | 100 mi | 15,787 | $56,554 | $773 |
| Valley City | ND | 103 mi | 6,541 | $60,339 | $780 |
| Wahpeton | ND | 105 mi | 8,010 | $62,750 | $751 |
| Brookings | SD | 115 mi | 23,948 | $63,493 | $889 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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28,189 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$762 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 14.2% of the median household income.
$64,405 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
1.6% (BLS county, Brown County (latest month 2026M09)).
South Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.