Jobs, pay and daily life in Milbank, 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.
Milbank is a city in South Dakota with 3,525 residents. The median household earns $56,011 a year and the median rent is $548 a month, which is 11.7% 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 Milbank compares. Among the 30 largest places in South Dakota, Milbank is #23 by population, #1 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #1 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #28 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Grant County, is #14 of 66 counties for average pay ($54,491).
Milbank has 3,525 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of South Dakota. It covers 3 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,271 people per square mile. The median age is 50.0, 32% older than the state median (50.0 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $548 a month (rent plus utilities), 42% below the state median ($548 against $946). Over a year that is 11.7% 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 $155,000, which is 2.8 times the median household income ($56,011); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 69.8% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (69.8% against 68.6%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Grant County was 1.6%. 66.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Grant County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.5% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 5.8% walk, 10.3% work from home. 0.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 86% below the state average (0.9% against 6.6%).
31.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, about the same as the state share (31.2% against 31.9%). 10.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 167% above the state share (10.6% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 13.2%, 11% above the state rate (13.2% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 14°F (-9.8°C). About 627 mm (25 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (101 mm) and Jan the driest (12 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: Watertown (33 miles, rent 72% higher); Brookings (64 miles, rent 62% higher); Wahpeton (73 miles, rent 37% higher); Alexandria (76 miles, rent 70% higher). Rent differences are against Milbank; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in South Dakota (285) →State guide: South DakotaCountry guideGrant 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 | 21.8% |
| Retail trade | 14.0% |
| Manufacturing | 13.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.0% |
| Other services | 7.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 7.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.4% |
| Construction | 4.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.8% |
| Public administration | 2.2% |
| Information | 2.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Milbank 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County | 7,563 | $831 million | $109,877 | 3,854 | 382 | $54,491 | -1.5% | 1.6% | 3,977 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 738 | 27.7% | $73,347 | 2.33 |
| Retail trade | 430 | 16.1% | $38,855 | 1.12 |
| Wholesale trade | 280 | 10.5% | $70,001 | 1.84 |
| Construction | 274 | 10.3% | $63,890 | 1.35 |
| Accommodation and food services | 228 | 8.6% | $15,356 | 0.65 |
| Finance and insurance | 144 | 5.4% | $70,534 | 0.92 |
| Utilities | 142 | 5.3% | $103,803 | 9.69 |
| Administrative and waste services | 134 | 5.0% | $59,420 | 0.59 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 109 | 4.1% | $36,733 | 0.94 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 65 | 2.4% | $60,146 | 0.40 |
| Information | 44 | 1.7% | $20,662 | 0.61 |
| Professional and technical services | 41 | 1.5% | $63,633 | 0.15 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 25 | 0.9% | $17,553 | 0.39 |
| Real estate and rental | 10 | 0.4% | $35,210 | 0.17 |
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 | 71.5% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 5.8% |
| Work from home | 10.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 0.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,011 |
| Income per person | $37,811 |
| Median gross rent per month | $548 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 11.7% |
| Median home value | $155,000 |
| Homeowners | 69.8% |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% |
| 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 | 50.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 31.2% |
| Born abroad | 10.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 66.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -9.8 | 14 | 12 |
| Feb | -8.3 | 17 | 17 |
| Mar | -0.5 | 31 | 31 |
| Apr | 6.7 | 44 | 58 |
| May | 13.6 | 56 | 81 |
| Jun | 19.8 | 68 | 101 |
| Jul | 23.2 | 74 | 81 |
| Aug | 21.2 | 70 | 78 |
| Sep | 16.4 | 62 | 73 |
| Oct | 7.4 | 45 | 57 |
| Nov | 0.1 | 32 | 18 |
| Dec | -7.0 | 19 | 20 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown | SD | 33 mi | 23,044 | $69,600 | $942 |
| Brookings | SD | 64 mi | 23,948 | $63,493 | $889 |
| Wahpeton | ND | 73 mi | 8,010 | $62,750 | $751 |
| Alexandria | MN | 76 mi | 14,735 | $61,374 | $934 |
| Willmar | MN | 77 mi | 21,378 | $62,280 | $910 |
| Fergus Falls | MN | 78 mi | 14,181 | $56,162 | $911 |
| Madison | SD | 87 mi | 6,094 | $65,593 | $981 |
| Aberdeen | SD | 91 mi | 28,189 | $64,405 | $762 |
| Oakes | ND | 95 mi | 1,858 | $67,632 | $843 |
| Dell Rapids | SD | 96 mi | 3,905 | $100,170 | $962 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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3,525 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$548 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 11.7% of the median household income.
$56,011 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
1.6% (BLS county, Grant County (latest month 2026M09)).
South Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.