Get paid to care for family in Pennington County
Most of the 24,300 people in Pennington County who are 65 or older are cared for at home, by a relative. South Dakota Medicaid can pay you for that work.
Pennington County at a glance
- Aged 65+
- 24,300
- Aged 85+
- 2,270
- Rank in SD
- 2nd
- Median age
- 40.9
21% of residents
when daily help usually starts
of 66 counties, by residents 65+
older than the country
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Population Estimates (Vintage 2024). Pennington County is a metro county (Rural-Urban Continuum Code 3).
- 50 + DC
- states covered
- 3,144
- counties with local data
- $0
- it is always free to apply
- 2 min
- to see if you qualify
Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Rules from each state's published Medicaid program
Care in Pennington
What being a paid caregiver looks like here
About 24,300 people in Pennington County are 65 or older — 21% of everyone who lives here. That is an older county than South Dakota overall, so more families here are already doing this work. Roughly 2,270 are 85 or older, the age when daily help usually starts. Agencies operate in Pennington County, though families still run into gaps: no weekend coverage, a new aide every few weeks, hours that don't match real life.
Statewide, 173,800 people in South Dakota are 65 or older — 19% of the state, across 66 counties.
What South Dakota pays family caregivers
$392/week
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: South Dakota Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
South Dakota's programs at a glance
- Structured Family Caregiving (HOPE Waiver)
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- There may be a waitlist — apply early.
These rules are set by the state, so they are the same in every county. Read the full South Dakota guide →
Towns and cities in Pennington County
South Dakota sets eligibility, not your town — so a family in Rapid City and a family at the far edge of the county apply the same way. The largest communities in Pennington County:
- Rapid City79,894
- Box Elder8,828
- Hill City937
- Wall672
- New Underwood610
- Keystone261
- Wasta63
- Quinn61
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Subcounty Population Estimates.
How families in Pennington apply
You do not need a county office to start. Families in Pennington County start with South Dakota's program:
Call Dakota at Home at 833-663-9673 or your local DSS office; financial eligibility goes through DSS and the LTSS functional assessment through DHS at the same time.
Or skip the phone tag — our free 2-minute check tells you which South Dakota program fits your family, then we help with the forms.
See if you qualify →Pennington questions, answered honestly
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Pennington County?
Yes. South Dakota runs real Medicaid programs — like Structured Family Caregiving (HOPE Waiver) — that pay family caregivers, and they cover families in Pennington County. We help you enroll, and applying costs you nothing.
How much do family caregivers earn in Pennington County?
Reported figures in South Dakota are around $392/week, but rates vary — the program sets your exact pay. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Where do families in Pennington County apply?
Families in Pennington County start with the state, not the county. Call Dakota at Home at 833-663-9673 or your local DSS office; financial eligibility goes through DSS and the LTSS functional assessment through DHS at the same time.
Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Pennington County?
Yes — a spouse can be paid here. The fine print for South Dakota: yes — spouses may serve as the paid SFC caregiver; caregiver and recipient must live in the same home
How many people in Pennington County might need this?
24,300 residents of Pennington County are 65 or older and about 2,270 are 85 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 population estimates. Most of them are cared for at home by a relative rather than in a facility. South Dakota's programs exist to pay for exactly that care.
Which towns in Pennington do you cover?
All of Pennington County — including Rapid City, Box Elder, Hill City, Wall and New Underwood. Eligibility is set by South Dakota, not by your town, so where you live inside the county does not change whether you qualify.
Program facts come from South Dakota's published Medicaid program rules · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Guides
For families in Pennington County
Start with the South Dakota caregiver program, then read how the pieces fit together.
Nearby
Counties next to Pennington
The counties Pennington touches, by Census boundaries — a few of those borders run across water. Ones marked with a state abbreviation are across the line, and their rules are their state's, not this one's.
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