† Citizen voting-age population estimated for prior cycles; 2004 predates the ACS and is extrapolated. Source: ACS 5-year, table B05003.
——
D+60R+60
20042024
Boundary by 2024 margin · Precinct returns · VEST · MIT Election Lab
People and households
Who lives here
Exact values for this place, its state, and the United States.
Race · ethnicity · ancestry
Communities and origins
GroupLeadSouth DakotaUnited States
German33.4%33.1%12.5%
Irish13.6%9.9%9.4%
English12.5%7.7%9.5%
Norwegian9.0%10.4%—
American5.8%4.4%5.3%
Swedish4.2%2.5%—
Dutch2.3%3.4%—
Russian2.3%——
Mexican1.7%2.6%11.3%
Puerto Rican0.2%0.4%1.8%
Oglala Sioux0.4%2.0%—
Hispanic or Latino counts residents of any race; the race groups count only their non-Hispanic residents, so the groups are mutually exclusive and sum to 100%. Expand a row to see ancestries reported within that group.
Age and life stage
Measure
Lead
South Dakota
United States
Median age
46.5
38.2
39.1
Age 18–24
6.8%
9.2%
9.2%
Age 65 and older
27.3%
18.0%
17.2%
Household economy
Measure
Lead
South Dakota
United States
Median household income
$73,047
$75,081
$84,427
Poverty rate
7.5%
12.0%
12.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher (25+)
20.5%
31.9%
35.6%
Languages at home
Measure
Lead
South Dakota
United States
Speaks a non-English language at home
2.5%
7.1%
22.3%
German or other West Germanic
1.0%
0.8%
0.5%
Religious landscape
Measure
Lead
South Dakota
United States
Catholic
—
14.8%
18.6%
Evangelical Protestant
—
20.1%
16.5%
Unclaimed / not counted
—
44.9%
51.5%
American Community Survey 2024 5-year (CVAP, income, age, poverty, education, language, race, ancestry) · presidential returns from MIT Election Lab through 2024 · 2020 U.S. Religion Census (ASARB) — congregational adherents; unclaimed is the residual not counted by congregations.
Lead, South Dakota
presidential history
Presidential margin, 2004–2024
Democratic minus Republican, by election
Presidential margin over time
Year
Margin (D minus R)
2004
−19.4%
2008
−1.4%
2012
−14.5%
2016
−23.0%
2020
−9.2%
2024
−31.3%
DemocraticRepublican
6 presidential elections
Third column names the leading third-party or independent finisher. Source · MIT Election Lab · ICPSR · VEST (precinct-level 2024). Swing · margin change from the prior cycle. vs U.S. · margin relative to the national result that year. † 2004, 2012 sub-county results are estimated: the source's block-level detail for these cycles was unreliable — either county/municipality-level consolidated reporting (COVID-era) or a precinct-to-block allocation that misplaced votes — so the figures are allocated from the constituent county totals in proportion to the place and scaled to certified totals.
Year
Won
Democratic
Republican
Other
Margin
Swing
vs U.S.
Total
R
32.9%Harris484
64.3%Trump944
2.8%
R+31.3
R+22.2
R+29.8
1,469
R
42.8%Biden674
52.0%Trump818
5.1%
R+9.2
D+13.8
R+13.6
1,573
R
33.4%Clinton449
56.3%Trump758
10.3%
R+23.0
R+8.5
R+25.0
1,346
R
41.3%Obama559
55.8%Romney755
3.0%
R+14.5
R+13.1
R+18.3
1,354
R
47.0%Obama726
48.4%McCain748
4.5%
R+1.4
D+18.0
R+8.7
1,544
R
39.7%Kerry556
59.1%Bush828
1.1%
R+19.4
—
R+17.0
1,400
Lead's economy was anchored for a century by the Homestake Mine, one of the deepest gold mines in North America; its closure in 2002 and conversion to a physics research facility marked a rare industrial-to-science transition that continues to influence local economic and political priorities.
Across the recorded series it reached a Republican high of 31.3 points in 2024. Between 2020 and 2024 the city moved 22.2 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 31.3 points.
A population of 3,006, a 95% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $73,047 describe the city.
In 2024, Lead, South Dakota voted Republican by 31.3 points (R+31.3), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 1,469 votes cast, 484 went Democratic and 944 went Republican.
How many people live in Lead, South Dakota?
Lead, South Dakota has a population of 3,006 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Lead, South Dakota?
Median household income in Lead, South Dakota is $73,047 — below the national median of $80,734. The South Dakota state median is $75,081.
What is the political history of Lead, South Dakota?
Akashic tracks 6 presidential elections in Lead, South Dakota from 2004 to 2024. Of those, 0 went Democratic and 6 went Republican.
