Jobs, pay and daily life in Hot Springs, 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.
Hot Springs is a city in South Dakota with 3,548 residents. The median household earns $66,338 a year and the median rent is $897 a month, which is 16.2% 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 Hot Springs compares. Among the 30 largest places in South Dakota, Hot Springs is #22 by population, #25 for remote work (#1 = most), #21 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #10 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Fall River County, is #24 of 66 counties for average pay ($51,214).
Hot Springs has 3,548 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of South Dakota. It covers 4 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 818 people per square mile. The median age is 59.4, 56% older than the state median (59.4 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $897 a month (rent plus utilities), 5% below the state median ($897 against $946). Over a year that is 16.2% 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 $202,600, which is 3.1 times the median household income ($66,338); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 62.3% of households own their home, 9% below the state average (62.3% against 68.6%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Fall River County was 2.3%. 48.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Fall River County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 87.2% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 4.4% walk, 4.3% work from home. 4.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 37% below the state average (4.1% against 6.6%).
28.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 10% below the state share (28.9% against 31.9%). 4.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 9% above the state share (4.3% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 21.1%, 77% above the state rate (21.1% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.4°C), and the coolest is Dec at 26°F (-3.5°C). About 435 mm (17 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (81 mm) and Jan the driest (9 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: Rapid City (47 miles, rent 24% higher); Chadron (47 miles, similar rent); Rapid Valley (48 miles, rent 31% higher); Blackhawk (51 miles). Rent differences are against Hot Springs; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in South Dakota (285) →State guide: South DakotaCountry guideFall River 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 | 27.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 15.7% |
| Retail trade | 10.2% |
| Construction | 10.2% |
| Other services | 8.9% |
| Public administration | 8.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 7.6% |
| Manufacturing | 5.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 2.1% |
| Information | 1.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 1.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 0.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Hot Springs 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall River County | 7,258 | $372 million | $51,260 | 2,516 | 352 | $51,214 | +0.6% | 2.3% | 3,213 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 291 | 25.6% | $33,333 | 1.16 |
| Accommodation and food services | 255 | 22.4% | $19,871 | 1.11 |
| Construction | 120 | 10.5% | $60,075 | 0.91 |
| Professional and technical services | 82 | 7.2% | $67,768 | 0.47 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 68 | 6.0% | $23,351 | 0.90 |
| Wholesale trade | 60 | 5.3% | $49,116 | 0.61 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 58 | 5.1% | $30,310 | 1.37 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 55 | 4.8% | $53,721 | 2.70 |
| Administrative and waste services | 46 | 4.0% | $66,232 | 0.31 |
| Finance and insurance | 38 | 3.3% | $73,716 | 0.37 |
| Information | 35 | 3.1% | $64,400 | 0.74 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 14 | 1.2% | $81,250 | 1.47 |
| Manufacturing | 8 | 0.7% | $33,782 | 0.04 |
| Real estate and rental | 8 | 0.7% | $50,137 | 0.20 |
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 | 87.2% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 4.4% |
| Work from home | 4.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,338 |
| Income per person | $42,681 |
| Median gross rent per month | $897 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 16.2% |
| Median home value | $202,600 |
| Homeowners | 62.3% |
| Poverty rate | 21.1% |
| 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 | 59.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 28.9% |
| Born abroad | 4.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 48.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.4 | 26 | 9 |
| Feb | -3.0 | 27 | 14 |
| Mar | 2.6 | 37 | 24 |
| Apr | 7.2 | 45 | 50 |
| May | 12.8 | 55 | 81 |
| Jun | 19.5 | 67 | 66 |
| Jul | 24.4 | 76 | 56 |
| Aug | 22.5 | 72 | 45 |
| Sep | 16.9 | 62 | 37 |
| Oct | 7.9 | 46 | 30 |
| Nov | 1.7 | 35 | 12 |
| Dec | -3.5 | 26 | 11 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | SD | 47 mi | 77,946 | $70,870 | $1,109 |
| Chadron | NE | 47 mi | 5,160 | $54,590 | $881 |
| Rapid Valley | SD | 48 mi | 6,975 | $83,208 | $1,174 |
| Blackhawk | SD | 51 mi | 2,934 | $71,993 | n/a |
| Box Elder | SD | 51 mi | 12,902 | $73,008 | $1,491 |
| Summerset | SD | 54 mi | 3,022 | $119,271 | $1,288 |
| Lead | SD | 66 mi | 3,006 | $73,047 | $835 |
| Sturgis | SD | 68 mi | 7,086 | $54,404 | $780 |
| Spearfish | SD | 76 mi | 12,930 | $65,688 | $963 |
| Belle Fourche | SD | 88 mi | 5,804 | $65,071 | $983 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
3,548 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$897 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 16.2% of the median household income.
$66,338 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.3% (BLS county, Fall River County (latest month 2026M09)).
South Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.