Jobs, pay and daily life in Dakota Dunes, 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.
Dakota Dunes is a city in South Dakota with 3,936 residents. The median household earns $136,125 a year and the median rent is $1,225 a month, which is 10.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metropolitan area, where BLS counts 75,010 jobs.
How Dakota Dunes compares. Among the 30 largest places in South Dakota, Dakota Dunes is #20 by population, #1 for household income (#1 = highest), #1 for college degrees (#1 = most), #2 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Union County, is #1 of 66 counties for average pay ($73,276).
Dakota Dunes has 3,936 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of South Dakota. It covers 2 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,594 people per square mile. The median age is 42.6, 12% older than the state median (42.6 against 38.0). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $1,225 a month (rent plus utilities), 29% above the state median ($1,225 against $946). Over a year that is 10.8% 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 $565,600, which is 4.2 times the median household income ($136,125). 67.0% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (67.0% against 68.6%).
The Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metropolitan area has 75,010 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,030 a year, 8% below the national median ($47,030 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (10,820 jobs, median $47,150); transportation and material moving (9,140 jobs, median $43,590); office and administrative support (7,130 jobs, median $45,360). The area is most specialised in production (2.6 times) and transportation and material moving (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($47,150) and office and administrative support ($45,360). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Union County was 1.8%. 66.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Union County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 84.2% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.2% walk, 10.5% work from home. 1.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 83% below the state average (1.1% against 6.6%).
59.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 88% above the state share (59.8% against 31.9%). 1.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 73% below the state share (1.1% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 2.4%, 80% below the state rate (2.4% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (25.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 20°F (-6.5°C). About 749 mm (29 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (112 mm) and Jan the driest (16 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: North Sioux City (3 miles, rent 10% lower); South Sioux City (4 miles, rent 8% lower); Sioux City (5 miles, rent 20% lower); Le Mars (26 miles, rent 24% lower). Rent differences are against Dakota Dunes; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in South Dakota (285) →State guide: South DakotaCountry guideUnion 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.
Open federal jobs in South Dakota →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,820 | 2.84 | $51,540 | $38,450 | $79,320 | -12% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,220 | 1.18 | $30,150 | $24,180 | $45,770 | -15% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,060 | 1.11 | $29,090 | $22,410 | $35,870 | -7% |
| Cashiers | 1,700 | 1.14 | $29,470 | $25,190 | $36,290 | -10% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,660 | 1.17 | $42,790 | $30,450 | $50,960 | +6% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,600 | 0.98 | $75,840 | $62,270 | $96,440 | -22% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,330 | 0.97 | $35,660 | $28,350 | $48,530 | -4% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,250 | 0.74 | $90,230 | $42,370 | $206,200 | -15% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,230 | 0.59 | $36,580 | $29,830 | $45,610 | +2% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,120 | 1.05 | $37,090 | $29,020 | $47,850 | +1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,110 | 0.89 | $41,010 | $29,960 | $58,360 | -8% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,030 | 0.94 | $26,430 | $15,080 | $49,790 | -25% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 990 | 1.44 | $30,880 | $23,240 | $37,310 | -16% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 980 | 1.32 | $57,470 | $39,110 | $66,840 | +16% |
| Nursing Assistants | 930 | 1.33 | $38,940 | $36,410 | $48,090 | -8% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 890 | 1.33 | $62,270 | $46,820 | $78,900 | -3% |
| Office Clerks, General | 820 | 0.69 | $44,060 | $29,710 | $60,880 | -2% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 810 | 4.43 | $43,700 | $38,810 | $49,070 | +1% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 780 | 1.31 | $73,500 | $44,220 | $133,020 | +2% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 690 | 1.05 | $47,390 | $34,630 | $61,450 | -6% |
These figures are for the whole Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,030 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 17.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 12.3% |
| Manufacturing | 8.1% |
| Construction | 6.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 6.3% |
| Other services | 5.0% |
| Retail trade | 4.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.8% |
| Public administration | 1.2% |
| Information | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Dakota Dunes 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 17,081 | $2,261 million | $132,391 | 9,633 | 878 | $73,276 | -3.2% | 1.8% | 8,975 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,230 | 26.1% | $75,782 | 2.82 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,296 | 15.2% | $75,809 | 0.94 |
| Professional and technical services | 809 | 9.5% | $113,003 | 1.21 |
| Finance and insurance | 654 | 7.7% | $91,354 | 1.67 |
| Accommodation and food services | 603 | 7.1% | $21,628 | 0.69 |
| Retail trade | 587 | 6.9% | $48,641 | 0.61 |
| Construction | 467 | 5.5% | $76,476 | 0.92 |
| Wholesale trade | 467 | 5.5% | $99,093 | 1.23 |
| Administrative and waste services | 440 | 5.2% | $75,568 | 0.78 |
| Management of companies | 303 | 3.5% | $173,688 | 1.87 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 215 | 2.5% | $23,682 | 1.33 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 213 | 2.5% | $40,923 | 0.73 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 86 | 1.0% | $57,377 | 1.10 |
| Real estate and rental | 64 | 0.7% | $46,988 | 0.43 |
| Educational services | 58 | 0.7% | $10,156 | 0.29 |
| Information | 46 | 0.5% | $88,095 | 0.25 |
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 | 84.2% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.2% |
| Work from home | 10.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 1.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $136,125 |
| Income per person | $79,557 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,225 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 10.8% |
| Median home value | $565,600 |
| Homeowners | 67.0% |
| Poverty rate | 2.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 86.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,030 |
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 | 42.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 99.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 59.8% |
| Born abroad | 1.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 66.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -6.5 | 20 | 16 |
| Feb | -4.9 | 23 | 21 |
| Mar | 2.6 | 37 | 41 |
| Apr | 9.5 | 49 | 78 |
| May | 15.8 | 60 | 104 |
| Jun | 22.0 | 72 | 112 |
| Jul | 25.0 | 77 | 80 |
| Aug | 23.3 | 74 | 95 |
| Sep | 18.7 | 66 | 83 |
| Oct | 10.0 | 50 | 60 |
| Nov | 2.7 | 37 | 30 |
| Dec | -4.2 | 24 | 29 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Sioux City | SD | 3 mi | 3,045 | $71,908 | $1,098 |
| South Sioux City | NE | 4 mi | 13,907 | $68,223 | $1,127 |
| Sioux City | IA | 5 mi | 86,101 | $68,906 | $976 |
| Le Mars | IA | 26 mi | 10,640 | $74,701 | $929 |
| Vermillion | SD | 30 mi | 11,878 | $50,456 | $764 |
| Wayne | NE | 32 mi | 6,121 | $53,702 | $792 |
| Sioux Center | IA | 43 mi | 8,454 | $92,983 | n/a |
| Yankton | SD | 54 mi | 15,540 | $67,804 | $790 |
| Canton | SD | 56 mi | 3,033 | $60,850 | $673 |
| Norfolk | NE | 58 mi | 26,054 | $58,884 | $875 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
3,936 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,225 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 10.8% of the median household income.
$136,125 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
1.8% (BLS county, Union County (latest month 2026M09)).
South Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.