Jobs, pay and daily life in Yankton, 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.
Yankton is a city in South Dakota with 15,540 residents. The median household earns $67,804 a year and the median rent is $790 a month, which is 14.0% 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 Yankton compares. Among the 30 largest places in South Dakota, Yankton is #7 by population, #6 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #9 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #18 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Yankton County, is #11 of 66 counties for average pay ($55,512).
Yankton has 15,540 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.7% of the population of South Dakota. It covers 9 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,778 people per square mile. The median age is 41.4, 9% older than the state median (41.4 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $790 a month (rent plus utilities), 16% below the state median ($790 against $946). Over a year that is 14.0% 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 $222,700, which is 3.3 times the median household income ($67,804); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 66.3% of households own their home, 3% below the state average (66.3% against 68.6%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Yankton County was 1.7%. 61.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Yankton County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.0% drive alone, 2.7% use public transit, 4.2% walk, 5.5% work from home. 3.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 40% below the state average (3.9% against 6.6%).
33.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 4% above the state share (33.2% against 31.9%). 3.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 18% below the state share (3.3% against 4.0%). The poverty rate is 14.1%, 18% above the state rate (14.1% against 11.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 21°F (-6.2°C). About 670 mm (26 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (103 mm) and Jan the driest (14 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: Vermillion (25 miles, rent 3% lower); Tea (48 miles, rent 54% higher); Wayne (49 miles, similar rent); Canton (50 miles, rent 15% lower). Rent differences are against Yankton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in South Dakota (285) →State guide: South DakotaCountry guideYankton 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 | 28.5% |
| Manufacturing | 18.8% |
| Retail trade | 15.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.4% |
| Construction | 5.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.0% |
| Other services | 3.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 3.8% |
| Public administration | 3.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.0% |
| Information | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Yankton 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yankton County | 23,414 | $1,759 million | $75,124 | 13,091 | 864 | $55,512 | +0.6% | 1.7% | 11,980 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,408 | 32.5% | $66,354 | 3.17 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,054 | 19.6% | $67,666 | 1.09 |
| Retail trade | 1,549 | 14.8% | $33,866 | 1.18 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,037 | 9.9% | $19,605 | 0.87 |
| Wholesale trade | 463 | 4.4% | $70,374 | 0.90 |
| Construction | 444 | 4.2% | $57,546 | 0.65 |
| Finance and insurance | 367 | 3.5% | $101,901 | 0.69 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 268 | 2.6% | $31,789 | 0.68 |
| Educational services | 251 | 2.4% | $38,497 | 0.93 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 203 | 1.9% | $53,164 | 0.37 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 171 | 1.6% | $21,132 | 0.78 |
| Information | 151 | 1.4% | $41,886 | 0.62 |
| Real estate and rental | 103 | 1.0% | $45,936 | 0.51 |
| Utilities | 26 | 0.2% | $98,336 | 0.52 |
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 | 2.7% |
| Walk | 4.2% |
| Work from home | 5.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,804 |
| Income per person | $41,073 |
| Median gross rent per month | $790 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 14.0% |
| Median home value | $222,700 |
| Homeowners | 66.3% |
| Poverty rate | 14.1% |
| 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 | 41.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 33.2% |
| Born abroad | 3.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -6.2 | 21 | 14 |
| Feb | -4.7 | 24 | 19 |
| Mar | 2.5 | 36 | 36 |
| Apr | 9.1 | 48 | 76 |
| May | 15.7 | 60 | 90 |
| Jun | 22.0 | 72 | 103 |
| Jul | 25.4 | 78 | 73 |
| Aug | 23.5 | 74 | 82 |
| Sep | 18.8 | 66 | 73 |
| Oct | 9.7 | 49 | 57 |
| Nov | 2.5 | 36 | 23 |
| Dec | -4.3 | 24 | 24 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermillion | SD | 25 mi | 11,878 | $50,456 | $764 |
| Tea | SD | 48 mi | 6,786 | $120,139 | $1,220 |
| Wayne | NE | 49 mi | 6,121 | $53,702 | $792 |
| Canton | SD | 50 mi | 3,033 | $60,850 | $673 |
| Harrisburg | SD | 51 mi | 8,519 | $108,724 | $1,362 |
| North Sioux City | SD | 52 mi | 3,045 | $71,908 | $1,098 |
| Dakota Dunes | SD | 54 mi | 3,936 | $136,125 | $1,225 |
| Hartford | SD | 56 mi | 3,478 | $99,893 | $938 |
| Sioux Falls | SD | 56 mi | 201,469 | $75,970 | $1,035 |
| Sioux City | IA | 58 mi | 86,101 | $68,906 | $976 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
15,540 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$790 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 14.0% of the median household income.
$67,804 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
1.7% (BLS county, Yankton County (latest month 2026M09)).
South Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.