City · Butte County, South Dakota

Belle Fourche, South Dakota

Belle Fourche is a city in Butte County, South Dakota. It has 5,804 residents. Belle Fourche, South Dakota has a quality-of-life score of 58 out of 100 (moderate), ranking #6,633 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within South Dakota it ranks #61 of 75 cities and towns. It ranks best on preventable hospital stays (low), rent-burdened households (low) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) (low). It ranks worst on distance to an airport (high), comfortable days (low) and distance to an Amtrak station (high).

58Moderate

Quality-of-life score: #6,633 of 15,651 cities and towns
South Dakota: #61 of 75 in SD
Population: 5,804 (2020-2024)
Land area: 9 mi²
Density: 639.5 /mi²
FIPS code: 4604380

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 69 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety66#5,313/15,637
Economy56#6,845/15,631
Housing88#1,790/14,977
Health53#7,382/15,609
Healthcare10#14,036/15,650
Environment54#7,124/15,453
Education29#11,174/15,649
Infrastructure49#7,977/15,650
Community61#6,174/15,651
Leisure & amenities88#1,854/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Belle Fourche, South Dakota ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Butte County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Preventable hospital stays · low1,242 /100k
99/100South Dakota 2,787 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteButte County value
Rent-burdened households · low47.0%
94/100South Dakota 39.8%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low5.5 µg/m³
94/100South Dakota 5.1 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyButte County value
Mammography screening · high56.0%
94/100South Dakota 54.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteButte County value
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
94/100South Dakota 3.8 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataButte County value
Job growth · high2.8%
93/100South Dakota 0.2%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataButte County value

Weaknesses

Distance to an airport · high245 mi
0/100South Dakota 114 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauButte County value
Comfortable days · low20.6%
0/100South Dakota 22.8%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationButte County value
Distance to an Amtrak station · high240 mi
1/100South Dakota 185 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauButte County value
Public EV charging ports · low0.0 /10k
3/100South Dakota 3.6 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyButte County value
Reading scores · low2.59
4/100South Dakota 3.07United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteButte County value
Distance to an emergency room · high17.4 mi
5/100South Dakota 6.9 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesButte County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Broadband subscriptionsImproving
75.8% (2015-2019) → 91.2% (2020-2024)
+15 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Average commute timeWorsening
15.3 min (2015-2019) → 25.8 min (2020-2024)
+68%5 yearsCensus table B08013US 26.9 min → 26.4 min
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
57.5% (2015-2019) → 47.0% (2020-2024)
−11 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Median household incomeImproving
$46,463 (2015-2019) → $65,071 (2020-2024)
+40%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
High school diploma or higherWorsening
91.5% (2015-2019) → 84.7% (2020-2024)
−6.8 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%
New homes permittedWorsening
5.8 /1k (2021) → 4.0 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−31%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Belle Fourche, South Dakota improved on 2 of 12 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 9 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Property tax−0.4 points1.48% → 1.04%
Broadband+15 points75.8% → 91.2%

Declined1

Commute+10.4 min15.3 min → 25.8 min

All 12 measures

Change of every measure of Belle Fourche, South Dakota between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	15.3 min2015-2019	25.8 min2020-2024	+10.4 min	Declined	2%
Bachelor's degree or higher	18.1%2015-2019	17.1%2020-2024	−1 points	Within the margin of error	21%
Broadband subscriptions	75.8%2015-2019	91.2%2020-2024	+15 points	Improved	81%
Effective property tax rate	1.48%2015-2019	1.04%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Improved	87%
High school diploma or higher	91.5%2015-2019	84.7%2020-2024	−6.8 points	Within the margin of error	3%
Home price to income ratio	2.8×2015-2019	3.4×2020-2024	+0.6×	Within the margin of error	42%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4712015-2019	0.4922020-2024	+0.021	Within the margin of error	33%
Median household income	$46,4632015-2019	$65,0712020-2024	+40%	Within the margin of error	74%
Poverty rate	11.2%2015-2019	10.6%2020-2024	−0.7 points	Within the margin of error	50%
Rent as share of income	32.7%2015-2019	29.0%2020-2024	−3.7 points	Within the margin of error	77%
Rent-burdened households	57.5%2015-2019	47.0%2020-2024	−11 points	Within the margin of error	83%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	19.3%2015-2019	17.2%2020-2024	−2.1 points	Within the margin of error	70%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Belle Fourche, South Dakota five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Belle Fourche, South Dakota in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Belle Fourche, South Dakota itself moved −0.4 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

5,804 residents (±18)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 50–59 women (+3.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

5,804 residents (±18)

Belle Fourche, South Dakota
South Dakota share

White90%5,196
Black0.0%0
Hispanic or Latino5.2%†301
Asian0.0%0
American Indian and Alaska Native0.6%†36
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.3%†16
Other or two or more races4.4%†255

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Other or two or more races (+3.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

3,876 residents (±182)

Belle Fourche, South Dakota
South Dakota share

No high school diploma15%†594
High school or GED36%1,409
Some college18%712
Associate degree13%†497
Bachelor's degree14%†528
Graduate degree3.5%†136

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: No high school diploma (+6.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

2,455 households (±162)

Belle Fourche, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under $25k22%†535
$25k–50k23%†568
$50k–75k11%†264
$75k–100k16%†385
$100k–150k18%†433
$150k–200k3.7%†90
$200k or more7.3%†180

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $50k–75k (−10.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

2,455 households (±162)

Belle Fourche, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Own65%1,608
Rent35%847

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

815 households (±153)

Belle Fourche, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under $75027%†219
$750–1,00025%†206
$1,000–1,50047%†383

Home values

1,608 homes (±164)

Belle Fourche, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under $150k33%†524
$150k–250k25%†399
$250k–400k22%†361

Age of homes

2,625 homes (±140)

Belle Fourche, South Dakota
South Dakota share

2010 or later9.6%†251
2000–200916%†431
1980–199922%†571

Size of homes

2,625 homes (±140)

Belle Fourche, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Studio1.1%†29
1 bedroom8.4%†221
2 bedrooms33%877

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

2,953 workers (±250)

Belle Fourche, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Drive alone78%2,314
Carpool15%†440
Public transit0.5%†14
Walk1.1%†31
Bike0.0%0
Work from home4.3%†128
Other0.9%†26

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

2,825 workers (±245)

Belle Fourche, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under 15 min38%1,076
15–29 min37%1,044
30–44 min13%†362

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Butte County, the county holding most of Belle Fourche's residents.

Butte County has 380 employer establishments, 350 for every 10,000 residents (1.41× the US rate of 248; 1.10× South Dakota's), with 2,393 paid employees at an average annual pay of $39,806. The Census Bureau also counts 985 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 380; 985 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 350; US 248 · South Dakota 317
Paid employees: 2,393
Average annual pay: $39,806; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Butte County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	40	36.9	2.38×More than typical	137	$45,847	89
Construction of buildings	21	19.4	2.56×More than typical	49	$39,347	41
Restaurants and other eating places	21	19.4	1.05×About typical	195	$20,682	—
Truck transportation	19	17.5	3.46×More than typical	48	$52,875	54
Ambulatory health care services	17	15.7	0.75×Fewer than typical	135	$49,978	16
Automotive repair and maintenance	16	14.7	2.93×More than typical	55	$55,473	32
Building equipment contractors	15	13.8	2.30×More than typical	58	$46,586	19
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	12	11.1	3.51×More than typical	29	$43,586	11
Religious organizations	12	11.1	1.99×More than typical	46	$19,543	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	12	11.1	1.64×More than typical	21	$39,238	51
Gasoline stations	10	9.2	2.84×More than typical	110	$33,009	—
Insurance agencies and brokerages	10	9.2	2.10×More than typical	37	$29,378	16

Rank places for an industry Open Butte County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 10,850 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

No federal contract obligations recorded here in FY2026.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Belle Fourche is mostly in Butte County.

See federal money in Butte County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Belle Fourche, South Dakota is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Dusty JohnsonR-SD · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 4.7%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Butte County62100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Butte County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/4604380