City · Hand County, South Dakota

Miller, South Dakota

Miller is a city in Hand County, South Dakota. It has 1,363 residents. Miller, South Dakota has a quality-of-life score of 88 out of 100 (very high), ranking #1,860 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within South Dakota it ranks #26 of 75 cities and towns. It ranks best on mammography screening (high), average commute time (low) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) (low). It ranks worst on distance to an Amtrak station (high), broadband subscriptions (low) and public EV charging ports (low).

88Very high

Quality-of-life score: #1,860 of 15,651 cities and towns
South Dakota: #26 of 75 in SD
Population: 1,363 (2020-2024)
Land area: 1 mi²
Density: 1,376.5 /mi²
FIPS code: 4642460

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 67 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.

Safety100#64/15,637
Economy47#8,256/15,631
Housing89#1,600/14,977
Health78#3,451/15,609
Healthcare62#5,888/15,650
Environment93#1,038/15,453
Education84#2,496/15,649
Infrastructure17#12,936/15,650
Community84#2,524/15,651
Leisure & amenities84#2,489/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Miller, South Dakota ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Hand 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

Mammography screening · high66.0%
100/100South Dakota 54.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHand County value
Average commute time · low11.1 min
100/100South Dakota 17.8 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low4.0 µg/m³
99/100South Dakota 5.1 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyHand County value
Firearm deaths · low0.0 /100k
99/100South Dakota 15.3 /100kUnited States 12.1 /100k2024Centers for Disease Control and PreventionHand County value
Drug overdose deaths · low0.0 /100k
99/100South Dakota 8.0 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataHand County value
Unemployment rate · low0.0%
98/100South Dakota 2.1%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025

Weaknesses

Distance to an Amtrak station · high195 mi
3/100South Dakota 185 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauHand County value
Broadband subscriptions · low80.3%
3/100South Dakota 89.6%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Public EV charging ports · low0.0 /10k
3/100South Dakota 3.6 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyHand County value
Mental health care shortage · high19.0
4/100South Dakota 18.0United States 9.9Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationHand County value
Distance to an airport · high129 mi
4/100South Dakota 114 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauHand County value
Gyms and fitness centers · low0.0 /10k
4/100South Dakota 1.2 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsHand County value

Trends

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

Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
24.6% (2015-2019) → 34.2% (2020-2024)
+9.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Median household incomeImproving
$39,410 (2015-2019) → $57,500 (2020-2024)
+46%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
High school diploma or higherImproving
90.0% (2015-2019) → 95.6% (2020-2024)
+5.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Improving
9.8% (2015-2019) → 5.0% (2020-2024)
−4.8 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
75.9% (2015-2019) → 80.3% (2020-2024)
+4.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Income inequality (Gini index)Worsening
0.438 (2015-2019) → 0.514 (2020-2024)
+17%5 yearsCensus table B19083US 0.482 → 0.483

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, Miller, South Dakota improved on 1 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 12 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.

Improved1

Household income+46%$39,410 → $57,500

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Miller, South Dakota between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	10.5 min2015-2019	11.1 min2020-2024	+0.6 min	Within the margin of error	41%
Bachelor's degree or higher	25.5%2015-2019	28.1%2020-2024	+2.5 points	Within the margin of error	47%
Broadband subscriptions	75.9%2015-2019	80.3%2020-2024	+4.4 points	Within the margin of error	28%
Effective property tax rate	1.10%2015-2019	0.85%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	67%
High school diploma or higher	90.0%2015-2019	95.6%2020-2024	+5.6 points	Within the margin of error	84%
Home price to income ratio	3.2×2015-2019	2.7×2020-2024	−0.5×	Within the margin of error	93%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4382015-2019	0.5142020-2024	+0.076	Within the margin of error	9%
Median household income	$39,4102015-2019	$57,5002020-2024	+46%	Improved	81%
Poverty rate	8.2%2015-2019	7.6%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Within the margin of error	50%
Rent as share of income	25.8%2015-2019	25.9%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	54%
Rent-burdened households	24.6%2015-2019	34.2%2020-2024	+9.6 points	Within the margin of error	25%
Unemployment rate	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	49%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	9.8%2015-2019	5.0%2020-2024	−4.8 points	Within the margin of error	86%

“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 Miller, South Dakota five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Miller, 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, Miller, South Dakota itself moved +1.2 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

1,363 residents (±151)

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: 30–39 men (+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

1,363 residents (±151)

Miller, South Dakota
South Dakota share

White97%1,316
Black0.0%0
Hispanic or Latino1.2%†17

Education

973 residents (±91)

Miller, South Dakota
South Dakota share

No high school diploma4.4%†43
High school or GED32%313
Some college19%184

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

628 households (±71)

Miller, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under $25k21%†131
$25k–50k20%127
$50k–75k20%†127
$75k–100k13%†83
$100k–150k14%†89
$150k–200k6.4%†40
$200k or more4.9%†31

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (−12.5 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

628 households (±71)

Miller, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Own66%416
Rent34%212

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+11.2 points).

Table view

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

Rent paid

155 households (±37)

Miller, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under $75066%†102
$750–1,00014%†21
$1,000–1,50010%†

Home values

416 homes (±70)

Miller, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under $150k48%198
$150k–250k29%†120
$250k–400k16%†66

Age of homes

763 homes (±68)

Miller, South Dakota
South Dakota share

2010 or later2.1%†16
2000–20096.0%†46
1980–199919%142

Size of homes

763 homes (±68)

Miller, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Studio0.7%†5
1 bedroom16%†122
2 bedrooms29%222

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

620 workers (±100)

Miller, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Drive alone82%507
Carpool5.0%†31
Public transit0.5%†3
Walk6.6%†41
Bike0.0%0
Work from home5.0%†31
Other1.1%†7

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

589 workers (±93)

Miller, South Dakota
South Dakota share

Under 15 min75%442
15–29 min11%†62
30–44 min7.3%†43

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 Hand County, the county holding most of Miller's residents.

Hand County has 135 employer establishments, 433 for every 10,000 residents (1.74× the US rate of 248; 1.36× South Dakota's), with 1,053 paid employees at an average annual pay of $51,628. The Census Bureau also counts 306 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 135; 306 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 433; US 248 · South Dakota 317
Paid employees: 1,053
Average annual pay: $51,628; US $68,342

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

Specialty trade contractors	8	25.6	1.66×Too few to compare	17	$43,235	27
Insurance agencies and brokerages	7	22.4	5.11×Too few to compare	18	$36,556	9
Commercial and industrial machinery repair	5	16	23.6×Too few to compare	11	$51,545	3
Religious organizations	5	16	2.89×Too few to compare	20	$13,400	—
Restaurants and other eating places	5	16	0.87×Too few to compare	46	$11,348	—
Truck transportation	5	16	3.17×Too few to compare	12	$59,250	7
Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)	4	12.8	10.6×Too few to compare	34	$11,265	—
Gasoline stations	4	12.8	3.95×Too few to compare	31	$27,097	—
Legal services	4	12.8	2.38×Too few to compare	7	$44,857	—
Limited-service restaurants	4	12.8	1.60×Too few to compare	38	$12,289	—
Ambulatory health care services	3	9.6	0.46×Too few to compare	31	$59,581	4
Auto parts, accessories and tire stores	3	9.6	5.50×Too few to compare	8	$56,625	—

Rank places for an industry Open Hand County

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 3,121 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: Miller is mostly in Hand County.

See federal money in Hand 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.

Miller, 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.

Hand County98100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Hand 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

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