Jobs, pay and daily life in Pierre, 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.
Pierre is a city in South Dakota with 13,948 residents. The median household earns $77,672 a year and the median rent is $983 a month, which is 15.2% 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 Pierre compares. Among the 30 largest places in South Dakota, Pierre is #9 by population, #26 for remote work (#1 = most), #8 for college degrees (#1 = most), #9 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Hughes County, is #4 of 66 counties for average pay ($61,739).
Pierre has 13,948 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.5% of the population of South Dakota. It covers 13 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,071 people per square mile. The median age is 39.4, 4% older than the state median (39.4 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $983 a month (rent plus utilities), 4% above the state median ($983 against $946). Over a year that is 15.2% 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 $230,700, which is 3.0 times the median household income ($77,672); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 68.6% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (68.6% against 68.6%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Hughes County was 1.5%. 63.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Hughes County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.0% drive alone, 1.3% use public transit, 4.0% walk, 4.2% work from home. 6.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 5% below the state average (6.2% against 6.6%).
39.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 22% above the state share (39.0% against 31.9%). 1.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 64% below the state share (1.4% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 10.1%, 16% below the state rate (10.1% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 79°F (26.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 22°F (-5.4°C). About 487 mm (19 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (82 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: Mobridge (81 miles, rent 3% lower); Huron (104 miles, rent 10% lower); Aberdeen (118 miles, rent 22% lower); Mitchell (122 miles, rent 13% lower). Rent differences are against Pierre; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in South Dakota (285) →State guide: South DakotaCountry guideHughes 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Public administration | 25.1% |
| Education and health care | 23.6% |
| Retail trade | 10.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.4% |
| Construction | 7.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.2% |
| Other services | 2.9% |
| Manufacturing | 2.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 1.9% |
| Information | 1.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Pierre 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hughes County | 17,664 | $1,661 million | $94,006 | 10,867 | 941 | $61,739 | -0.6% | 1.5% | 9,060 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,410 | 24.0% | $64,184 | 0.91 |
| Retail trade | 1,334 | 22.7% | $38,846 | 1.23 |
| Accommodation and food services | 798 | 13.6% | $22,210 | 0.81 |
| Finance and insurance | 549 | 9.3% | $101,507 | 1.24 |
| Professional and technical services | 478 | 8.1% | $88,484 | 0.63 |
| Construction | 451 | 7.7% | $65,486 | 0.79 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 343 | 5.8% | $50,494 | 1.05 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 136 | 2.3% | $15,267 | 0.74 |
| Educational services | 116 | 2.0% | $52,526 | 0.52 |
| Information | 114 | 1.9% | $54,866 | 0.56 |
| Real estate and rental | 94 | 1.6% | $62,386 | 0.56 |
| Manufacturing | 56 | 1.0% | $42,206 | 0.06 |
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 | 79.0% |
| Public transit | 1.3% |
| Walk | 4.0% |
| Work from home | 4.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,672 |
| Income per person | $40,990 |
| Median gross rent per month | $983 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 15.2% |
| Median home value | $230,700 |
| Homeowners | 68.6% |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% |
| 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 | 39.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 97.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 39.0% |
| Born abroad | 1.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 63.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -5.4 | 22 | 9 |
| Feb | -4.5 | 24 | 16 |
| Mar | 2.3 | 36 | 24 |
| Apr | 8.5 | 47 | 51 |
| May | 15.1 | 59 | 82 |
| Jun | 21.7 | 71 | 82 |
| Jul | 26.1 | 79 | 58 |
| Aug | 24.0 | 75 | 55 |
| Sep | 18.4 | 65 | 43 |
| Oct | 9.1 | 48 | 40 |
| Nov | 1.9 | 35 | 13 |
| Dec | -4.3 | 24 | 14 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobridge | SD | 81 mi | 2,932 | $65,357 | $953 |
| Huron | SD | 104 mi | 14,385 | $61,452 | $888 |
| Aberdeen | SD | 118 mi | 28,189 | $64,405 | $762 |
| Mitchell | SD | 122 mi | 15,649 | $58,620 | $851 |
| Box Elder | SD | 138 mi | 12,902 | $73,008 | $1,491 |
| Rapid Valley | SD | 140 mi | 6,975 | $83,208 | $1,174 |
| Rapid City | SD | 145 mi | 77,946 | $70,870 | $1,109 |
| Blackhawk | SD | 150 mi | 2,934 | $71,993 | n/a |
| Summerset | SD | 150 mi | 3,022 | $119,271 | $1,288 |
| Sturgis | SD | 157 mi | 7,086 | $54,404 | $780 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
13,948 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$983 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 15.2% of the median household income.
$77,672 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
1.5% (BLS county, Hughes County (latest month 2026M09)).
South Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.