Licensed supply, credential mix, wages and demand outlook for plumbers in Custer County, SD, updated nightly from the state register and BLS.
Custer County, SD carries 23 licensed plumbers and a median wage of $55,850/yr ($26.85/hr).
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This county sits at the 15th percentile nationally for plumbers pay, below the median US county. Average weekly wages across the county's construction trades rose 8.1% year over year (BLS QCEW).
Counties within 150 miles whose published median for this occupation is higher than Custer County's. Medians from the same BLS OEWS series shown above, not offers, and pay is only one reason to move.
| County | Median | Difference | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carter County, MT | $79,960 | +$24,110 | 137 mi |
| Weston County, WY | $62,410 | +$6,560 | 56 mi |
| Niobrara County, WY | $62,410 | +$6,560 | 66 mi |
| Crook County, WY | $62,410 | +$6,560 | 83 mi |
| Campbell County, WY | $62,410 | +$6,560 | 108 mi |
Active, licensed firms and master-tier individuals on the SD register.
| Name | Tier |
|---|---|
| Brett A Kaltvedt | Contractor |
| Chris Hetzel | Contractor |
| Josh B Malehorn | Contractor |
| Philip Bader | Contractor |
| Thomas Neis | Contractor |
| Tim Kursave | Contractor |
Custer County holds 6% of the metro area's 364 licensed plumbers (the third-largest plumbers pool among its 3 counties), at 25.2 per 10,000 residents against 23.3 metro-wide; the largest pool is Pennington County with 284.
Employment from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages for the industry this trade sits in; payroll from the Census County Business Patterns. Establishment counts are QCEW where the county is disclosed and an ATI estimate otherwise.
| Measure | Value | What it counts |
|---|---|---|
| Employer establishments | 3 | Physical business locations in this industry. |
| Industry employment | 39 | Everyone on those payrolls, not only licensed trades. |
| Annual industry payroll | $2M | Total wages paid across those establishments (Census CBP, 2023). |
County-wide construction activity, across all trades rather than plumbers specifically. Each figure names its source and the period it covers.
| Measure | Value | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| New housing units permitted | 260 | Last full year, county-wide. 285 per 10,000 residents. Permits lead construction hiring by months, so this is the earliest honest signal of work arriving (Census Building Permits Survey). |
| Construction employment | 91 | Everyone working in construction in this county, all trades and office staff. Average pay $949 per week. BLS QCEW. |
| Median year homes were built | 1994 | Older stock means more repair, replacement and retrofit work, which is steadier than new build and does not stop in a downturn (Census ACS). |
| Net migration | +117 | People who moved in minus people who moved out, from IRS address changes. Arrivals need housing, wiring, plumbing and heat. |
25.2 licensed plumbers per 10,000 residents. A thin pipeline against an ageing licensed base is how a shortage forms years before it shows up in wages.
License register: 2026-09-17; Wages: 2025-05-31; Demand: 2026-09-17; Apprenticeship: 2025-12-31.
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