Lower Brule is a tiny town located in the state of South Dakota. With a population of 703 people and just one neighborhood, Lower Brule is the 104th largest community in South Dakota.
Unlike some towns where white-collar or blue-collar occupations dominate the local economy, Lower Brule is neither predominantly one nor the other. Instead, it has a mixed workforce of both white- and blue-collar jobs. Overall, Lower Brule is a town of service providers, professionals, and sales and office workers. There are especially a lot of people living in Lower Brule who work in maintenance occupations (15.04%), teaching (13.01%), and community and social services (10.98%).
Residents of the town have the good fortune of having one of the shortest daily commutes compared to the rest of the country. On average, they spend only 12.46 minutes getting to work every day.
The percentage of adults in Lower Brule with college degrees is slightly lower than the national average of 21.84% for all communities. 15.11% of adults in Lower Brule have a bachelor's degree or advanced degree.
The per capita income in Lower Brule in 2022 was $12,035, which is low income relative to South Dakota and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $48,140 for a family of four. However, Lower Brule contains both very wealthy and poor people as well. Lower Brule also has one of the higher rates of people living in poverty in the nation, with 52.75% of its population below the federal poverty line.
The people who call Lower Brule home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Lower Brule residents report their race to be Native American, followed by White. Important ancestries of people in Lower Brule include German, Irish, Polish, Ukrainian, and English.
The most common language spoken in Lower Brule is English. Other important languages spoken here include Native American languages and German/Yiddish.
The way a neighborhood looks and feels when you walk or drive around it, from its setting, its buildings, and its flavor, can make all the difference. This neighborhood has some really cool things about the way it looks and feels as revealed by NeighborhoodScout's exclusive research. This might include anything from the housing stock to the types of households living here to how people get around.
The government often provides some of the more stable jobs in the economy. From local, to state, to federal government workers, the government can also be a major employer. What NeighborhoodScout's analysis revealed, is that the neighborhood in particular stands out when compared nationally for the proportion of its working residents who are employed by the government. At 20.8% of its workforce, this neighborhood has a greater concentration of government workers than 99.1% of U.S. neighborhoods.
Whether walking, biking, riding, or driving, the length of one's commute is an important factor for one's quality of life. The neighborhood stands out for its commute length, according to NeighborhoodScout's analysis. Residents of the neighborhood have the pleasure of having one of the shortest commutes to work of any neighborhood in America. 74.4% of the residents have a commute time from home to work (one way) of less than fifteen minutes. This is a higher proportion of residents enjoying a short trip to work than NeighborhoodScout found in 99.1% of U.S. neighborhoods. Less time commuting means more time for other things in life.
Uncrowded roads, rural America and space to be the individual you are. If you like these characteristics, this neighborhood may fit you. With just 5 residents per square mile, is less crowded than 98.1% of all U.S. neighborhoods.
The neighborhood has a greater percentage of children living in poverty (59.7%) than found in 96.8% of all U.S. neighborhoods. Children living in poverty is one of the challenges facing America, and the world, and in this neighborhood in particular, the problem can be considered acute.
In addition, there is an especially high percentage of incarcerated people (1.9%) living in the neighborhood.
In the neighborhood, carpooling is still a popular way to get to and from work. NeighborhoodScout's analysis reveals that 22.4% of commuters carpool here, which is more than in 95.4% of all U.S. neighborhoods.
Did you know that the neighborhood has more Native American ancestry people living in it than nearly any neighborhood in America? It's true! In fact, 89.8% of this neighborhood's residents have Native American ancestry.
is also pretty special linguistically. Significantly, 14.4% of its residents five years old and above primarily speak Native American languages at home. While this may seem like a small percentage, it is higher than 99.8% of the neighborhoods in America.
How wealthy a neighborhood is, from very wealthy, to middle income, to low income is very formative with regard to the personality and character of a neighborhood. Equally important is the rate of people, particularly children, who live below the federal poverty line. In some wealthy gated communities, the areas immediately surrounding can have high rates of childhood poverty, which indicates other social issues. NeighborhoodScout's analysis reveals both aspects of income and poverty for this neighborhood.
The neighbors in the neighborhood in Lower Brule are low income, making it among the lowest income neighborhoods in America. NeighborhoodScout's research shows that this neighborhood has an income lower than 94.8% of U.S. neighborhoods. With 59.7% of the children here below the federal poverty line, this neighborhood has a higher rate of childhood poverty than 96.8% of U.S. neighborhoods.
A neighborhood is far different if it is dominated by enlisted military personnel rather than people who earn their living by farming. It is also different if most of the neighbors are clerical support or managers. What is wonderful is the sheer diversity of neighborhoods, allowing you to find the type that fits your lifestyle and aspirations.
In the neighborhood, 33.8% of the working population is employed in sales and service jobs, from major sales accounts, to working in fast food restaurants. The second most important occupational group in this neighborhood is executive, management, and professional occupations, with 31.1% of the residents employed. Other residents here are employed in government jobs, whether they are in local, state, or federal positions (20.8%), and 17.9% in manufacturing and laborer occupations.
The most common language spoken in the neighborhood is English, spoken by 95.7% of households. Some people also speak Native American languages (14.4%).
Culture is the shared learned behavior of peoples. Undeniably, different ethnicities and ancestries have different cultural traditions, and as a result, neighborhoods with concentrations of residents of one or another ethnicities or ancestries will express those cultures. It is what makes the North End in Boston so fun to visit for the Italian restaurants, bakeries, culture, and charm, and similarly, why people enjoy visiting Chinatown in San Francisco.
In the neighborhood in Lower Brule, SD, residents most commonly identify their ethnicity or ancestry as Native American (89.8%). There are also a number of people of German ancestry (3.3%), and residents who report Irish roots (1.4%), and some of the residents are also of Polish ancestry (1.3%).
How you get to work – car, bus, train or other means – and how much of your day it takes to do so is a large quality of life and financial issue. Especially with gasoline prices rising and expected to continue doing so, the length and means of one's commute can be a financial burden. Some neighborhoods are physically located so that many residents have to drive in their own car, others are set up so many walk to work, or can take a train, bus, or bike. The greatest number of commuters in neighborhood spend under 15 minutes commuting one-way to work (74.4% of working residents), one of the shortest commutes across America.
Here most residents (73.9%) drive alone in a private automobile to get to work. In addition, quite a number also carpool with coworkers, friends, or neighbors to get to work (22.4%) . In a neighborhood like this, as in most of the nation, many residents find owning a car useful for getting to work.