Jobs, pay and daily life in Lead, 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.
Lead is a city in South Dakota with 3,006 residents. The median household earns $73,047 a year and the median rent is $835 a month, which is 13.7% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Rapid City, SD (73,820 jobs), about 14 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Lead compares. Among the 30 largest places in South Dakota, Lead is #28 by population, #30 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #28 for remote work (#1 = most), #26 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Lawrence County, is #30 of 66 counties for average pay ($50,201).
Lead has 3,006 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of South Dakota. It covers 2 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,461 people per square mile. The median age is 46.5, 22% older than the state median (46.5 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $835 a month (rent plus utilities), 12% below the state median ($835 against $946). Over a year that is 13.7% 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 $189,400, which is 2.6 times the median household income ($73,047); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 70.3% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (70.3% against 68.6%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Rapid City, SD, metropolitan area has 73,820 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,270 a year, 9% below the national median ($46,270 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (8,710 jobs, median $41,760); food preparation and serving related (8,430 jobs, median $29,980); sales and related (8,170 jobs, median $36,130). The area is most specialised in healthcare practitioners and technical (1.3 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($79,380) and office and administrative support ($41,760). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lawrence County was 1.6%. 67.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lawrence County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.6% drive alone, 2.2% use public transit, 0.5% walk, 2.0% work from home. 13.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 107% above the state average (13.6% against 6.6%).
20.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 36% below the state share (20.5% against 31.9%). 0.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 77% below the state share (0.9% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 7.5%, 37% below the state rate (7.5% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.2°C), and the coolest is Feb at 25°F (-3.9°C). About 487 mm (19 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (90 mm) and Jan the driest (13 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: Spearfish (10 miles, rent 15% higher); Sturgis (14 miles, rent 7% lower); Belle Fourche (22 miles, rent 18% higher); Summerset (24 miles, rent 54% higher). Rent differences are against Lead; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in South Dakota (285) →State guide: South DakotaCountry guideLawrence 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 3,090 | 1.67 | $33,350 | $27,870 | $54,040 | -6% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,860 | 1.56 | $29,440 | $27,850 | $36,400 | -6% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,480 | 1.55 | $79,380 | $64,790 | $98,740 | -19% |
| Cashiers | 1,980 | 1.35 | $30,460 | $26,800 | $36,340 | -7% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 1,720 | 2.64 | $46,810 | $35,170 | $59,990 | -8% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,580 | 1.18 | $37,150 | $27,800 | $45,770 | -0% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,520 | 1.45 | $34,880 | $29,320 | $43,750 | -5% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,430 | 1.32 | $29,020 | $27,530 | $40,640 | -18% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,280 | 1.86 | $38,500 | $36,290 | $46,100 | -9% |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | 1,240 | 2.87 | $37,990 | $27,910 | $47,820 | -0% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,010 | 0.82 | $38,520 | $28,630 | $51,030 | -14% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 990 | 1.22 | $41,720 | $31,500 | $53,040 | -12% |
| Carpenters | 870 | 2.73 | $48,640 | $37,750 | $63,400 | -20% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 840 | 1.22 | $79,270 | $62,260 | $119,200 | -5% |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 810 | 1.98 | $29,210 | $27,940 | $34,150 | -18% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 800 | 1.71 | $43,250 | $27,640 | $60,700 | -4% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 780 | 1.33 | $78,280 | $47,870 | $128,890 | +9% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 740 | 0.76 | $59,110 | $45,120 | $79,890 | +1% |
| General and Operations Managers | 700 | 0.42 | $130,410 | $80,890 | $243,700 | +23% |
| Bartenders | 700 | 1.95 | $29,500 | $27,680 | $41,480 | -14% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Rapid City, SD, about 14 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,270 (US $50,980); unemployment 1.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 37.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 12.1% |
| Education and health care | 11.8% |
| Construction | 10.4% |
| Public administration | 9.0% |
| Retail trade | 7.6% |
| Other services | 4.3% |
| Manufacturing | 3.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 0.9% |
| Information | 0.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Lead 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence County | 27,233 | $1,848 million | $67,852 | 13,566 | 1,630 | $50,201 | +1.3% | 1.6% | 15,698 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 3,304 | 27.8% | $29,426 | 2.68 |
| Retail trade | 1,748 | 14.7% | $39,173 | 1.29 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,682 | 14.1% | $64,316 | 0.86 |
| Construction | 920 | 7.7% | $59,505 | 1.29 |
| Professional and technical services | 695 | 5.8% | $81,631 | 0.74 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 587 | 4.9% | $34,661 | 2.57 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 468 | 3.9% | $114,868 | 9.12 |
| Manufacturing | 415 | 3.5% | $63,782 | 0.37 |
| Administrative and waste services | 388 | 3.3% | $39,919 | 0.49 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 375 | 3.2% | $38,409 | 0.92 |
| Finance and insurance | 302 | 2.5% | $73,760 | 0.55 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 256 | 2.2% | $55,461 | 0.45 |
| Real estate and rental | 245 | 2.1% | $40,214 | 1.16 |
| Wholesale trade | 216 | 1.8% | $53,761 | 0.40 |
| Information | 105 | 0.9% | $51,083 | 0.41 |
| Educational services | 74 | 0.6% | $34,500 | 0.26 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 58 | 0.5% | $37,145 | 0.53 |
| Management of companies | 29 | 0.2% | $70,197 | 0.13 |
| Utilities | 28 | 0.2% | $100,202 | 0.54 |
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 | 71.6% |
| Public transit | 2.2% |
| Walk | 0.5% |
| Work from home | 2.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 13.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,047 |
| Income per person | $38,887 |
| Median gross rent per month | $835 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 13.7% |
| Median home value | $189,400 |
| Homeowners | 70.3% |
| Poverty rate | 7.5% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 89.2 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $46,270 |
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 | 46.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 20.5% |
| Born abroad | 0.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 67.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.5 | 26 | 13 |
| Feb | -3.9 | 25 | 19 |
| Mar | 1.8 | 35 | 28 |
| Apr | 6.2 | 43 | 53 |
| May | 11.8 | 53 | 90 |
| Jun | 18.4 | 65 | 73 |
| Jul | 23.2 | 74 | 58 |
| Aug | 21.4 | 71 | 47 |
| Sep | 15.9 | 61 | 39 |
| Oct | 7.2 | 45 | 38 |
| Nov | 1.6 | 35 | 14 |
| Dec | -3.6 | 26 | 15 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spearfish | SD | 10 mi | 12,930 | $65,688 | $963 |
| Sturgis | SD | 14 mi | 7,086 | $54,404 | $780 |
| Belle Fourche | SD | 22 mi | 5,804 | $65,071 | $983 |
| Summerset | SD | 24 mi | 3,022 | $119,271 | $1,288 |
| Blackhawk | SD | 26 mi | 2,934 | $71,993 | n/a |
| Rapid City | SD | 33 mi | 77,946 | $70,870 | $1,109 |
| Rapid Valley | SD | 38 mi | 6,975 | $83,208 | $1,174 |
| Box Elder | SD | 38 mi | 12,902 | $73,008 | $1,491 |
| Hot Springs | SD | 66 mi | 3,548 | $66,338 | $897 |
| Gillette | WY | 86 mi | 33,431 | $81,316 | $976 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
3,006 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$835 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 13.7% of the median household income.
$73,047 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
1.6% (BLS county, Lawrence County (latest month 2026M09)).
South Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.