McCook County
McCook County is located in southeastern South Dakota. It includes an area of 576 square miles and a population of 5,776 ,as of 2024. Its county seat is Salem. The county was established in 1873 and was organized in 1878. It was named for the former governor of the Dakota Territory and Civil War general Edwin Stanton McCook. McCook County is a part of the Sioux Falls, SD Metropolitan Statistical Area and is comprised of five incorporated communities (Bridgewater, Canistota, Montrose, Salem, and Spencer) and sixteen townships.
McCook County
Median Resident Age 39.9 (2023 ACS 5-year Estimates)
Per Capita Income $46,977 (2023 ACS 5-year Estimates)
Households 2,218 (2023 ACS 5-year Estimates)
Median Household Income $80,847 (2023 ACS 5-year Estimates)
Educational Attainment (2023 ACS 5-year Estimates):
Graduate Degree: 9%
Bachelor’s Degree: 19.7%
Some College: 19.2%
High School Diploma/GED: 33.1%
Less Than High School Diploma: 6.4%
Total Workforce: 3,193
Top 5 Industries by Employment (2023 ACS 5-year Estimates)
Education / Health Care 645
Agriculture 327
Finance/Insurance/Real Estate 333
Construction 288
Professional Services 184
Top States contributing to the MSA’s Population Growth:
- Minnesota
- California
- Iowa
- Colorado
- Nebraska
MSA Stats
Institutions of Higher Education in Sioux Falls (2025): 8
Estimated Available Labor Supply (2025): 17,700
Average Annual Number of New MSA Residents: 4,000 – 6000
Annual College/Tech School Graduates Statewide (2024): ~10,000
Sioux Falls MSA High School Graduates (2024): ~3,400
Labor Participation Rate (2023): 74.2%*
* Percentage of metro residents 16+ who are employed
Labor Force Growth over the Last 10 Years (2024): 13.7%
Students Attending Post-Secondary Institutions Within 150 Miles of Sioux Falls (2024): ~109,000
