Jobs, pay and daily life in Mitchell, 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.
Mitchell is a city in South Dakota with 15,649 residents. The median household earns $58,620 a year and the median rent is $851 a month, which is 17.4% 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 Mitchell compares. Among the 30 largest places in South Dakota, Mitchell is #6 by population, #27 for household income (#1 = highest), #25 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #24 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Davison County, is #17 of 66 counties for average pay ($53,296).
Mitchell has 15,649 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.7% of the population of South Dakota. It covers 12 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,355 people per square mile. The median age is 39.6, 4% older than the state median (39.6 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $851 a month (rent plus utilities), 10% below the state median ($851 against $946). Over a year that is 17.4% 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 $192,200, which is 3.3 times the median household income ($58,620); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 56.6% of households own their home, 17% below the state average (56.6% against 68.6%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Davison County was 1.5%. 69.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Davison County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.2% drive alone, 1.1% use public transit, 2.0% walk, 8.1% work from home. 4.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 29% below the state average (4.7% against 6.6%).
23.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 26% below the state share (23.6% against 31.9%). 2.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 49% below the state share (2.0% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 12.5%, 5% above the state rate (12.5% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 20°F (-6.4°C). About 652 mm (26 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (106 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: Huron (45 miles, rent 4% higher); Madison (50 miles, rent 15% higher); Hartford (56 miles, rent 10% higher); Tea (64 miles, rent 43% higher). Rent differences are against Mitchell; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in South Dakota (285) →State guide: South DakotaCountry guideDavison 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 | 26.2% |
| Manufacturing | 13.1% |
| Retail trade | 11.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.6% |
| Construction | 8.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.8% |
| Other services | 4.1% |
| Public administration | 3.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.3% |
| Information | 2.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Mitchell 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davison County | 19,952 | $1,725 million | $86,440 | 12,546 | 835 | $53,296 | +1.0% | 1.5% | 10,754 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,993 | 18.7% | $59,414 | 1.11 |
| Retail trade | 1,806 | 17.0% | $39,626 | 1.44 |
| Manufacturing | 1,760 | 16.5% | $62,437 | 1.71 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,245 | 11.7% | $21,470 | 1.09 |
| Construction | 966 | 9.1% | $64,807 | 1.47 |
| Wholesale trade | 619 | 5.8% | $74,274 | 1.25 |
| Professional and technical services | 559 | 5.3% | $88,820 | 0.64 |
| Finance and insurance | 441 | 4.1% | $73,761 | 0.87 |
| Educational services | 323 | 3.0% | $31,107 | 1.25 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 286 | 2.7% | $40,015 | 0.76 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 189 | 1.8% | $22,818 | 0.90 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 160 | 1.5% | $47,233 | 0.30 |
| Information | 158 | 1.5% | $50,002 | 0.67 |
| Real estate and rental | 72 | 0.7% | $27,120 | 0.37 |
| Utilities | 69 | 0.6% | $95,164 | 1.45 |
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 | 78.2% |
| Public transit | 1.1% |
| Walk | 2.0% |
| Work from home | 8.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,620 |
| Income per person | $37,512 |
| Median gross rent per month | $851 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.4% |
| Median home value | $192,200 |
| Homeowners | 56.6% |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% |
| 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 | 39.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 23.6% |
| Born abroad | 2.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 69.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -6.4 | 20 | 13 |
| Feb | -5.0 | 23 | 19 |
| Mar | 2.2 | 36 | 32 |
| Apr | 8.8 | 48 | 73 |
| May | 15.4 | 60 | 90 |
| Jun | 21.7 | 71 | 106 |
| Jul | 25.4 | 78 | 73 |
| Aug | 23.3 | 74 | 81 |
| Sep | 18.5 | 65 | 70 |
| Oct | 9.3 | 49 | 52 |
| Nov | 2.1 | 36 | 20 |
| Dec | -4.6 | 24 | 23 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huron | SD | 45 mi | 14,385 | $61,452 | $888 |
| Madison | SD | 50 mi | 6,094 | $65,593 | $981 |
| Hartford | SD | 56 mi | 3,478 | $99,893 | $938 |
| Tea | SD | 64 mi | 6,786 | $120,139 | $1,220 |
| Yankton | SD | 66 mi | 15,540 | $67,804 | $790 |
| Dell Rapids | SD | 67 mi | 3,905 | $100,170 | $962 |
| Sioux Falls | SD | 67 mi | 201,469 | $75,970 | $1,035 |
| Harrisburg | SD | 70 mi | 8,519 | $108,724 | $1,362 |
| Brandon | SD | 73 mi | 10,996 | $110,806 | $976 |
| Brookings | SD | 74 mi | 23,948 | $63,493 | $889 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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15,649 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$851 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.4% of the median household income.
$58,620 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
1.5% (BLS county, Davison County (latest month 2026M09)).
South Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.