2026 CFLEADS Economic Mobility Summit

The last ten years reshaped Pennington County.

The population grew by roughly 8,000 residents. Local businesses added new jobs, particularly in technology, finance, and logistics. Meanwhile, housing became significantly more expensive.

Many trends that reshaped the rest of the nation are also present in Pennington County. For example, about 1 in 19 residents now work from home. The local population is also aging. About 20% of residents are over 65.

Median household incomes in Pennington County grew rapidly over the past decade. Even so, many local families are still struggling to make ends meet.

11,000 residents live just above the poverty line. This group is often called near-poor, similar to the group that some researchers label ALICE, for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These households typically earn incomes between about $35,000 and $70,000 a year for a family of four.

9,000 residents live in poverty. These households typically earn incomes less than about $35,000 a year for a family of four.

So, how does poverty in Pennington County compare to similar counties?

[BULLET] The share of residents who are poor is smaller than in peer counties, and it has fallen significantly in recent years.

[BULLET] The share of poor adults who are elderly or disabled is similar to the share among peers. About 43% of poor adults fall into this group.

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Photo attribution: Quintin Soloviev, via wikimedia, licensed under BY 4.0. Converted to WebP from the original.