GIS Map
RankingsSouth Dakota

South Dakota City Rankings

How cities and counties in South Dakota compare on income, housing, population growth, climate and natural hazard risk.

People & housing

Richest Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Brandon$110,806
  2. 2. Custer$78,369
  3. 3. Pierre$77,672

Most Expensive Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Spearfish$346,200
  2. 2. Brandon$336,600
  3. 3. Box Elder$302,100

Most Affordable Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Winner$106,100
  2. 2. Mobridge$136,800
  3. 3. Huron$159,000

Cities with the Highest Rent in South Dakota

  1. 1. Box Elder$1,491/mo
  2. 2. Rapid City$1,109/mo
  3. 3. Sioux Falls$1,035/mo

Most Educated Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Vermillion50.6%
  2. 2. Brookings47.5%
  3. 3. Brandon41.9%

Cities with the Highest Poverty Rate in South Dakota

  1. 1. Winner28.2%
  2. 2. Vermillion24.4%
  3. 3. Hot Springs21.1%

Most Densely Populated Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Vermillion2,481
  2. 2. Sioux Falls2,411
  3. 3. Brandon1,801

Largest Cities in South Dakota by Population

  1. 1. Sioux Falls201,469
  2. 2. Rapid City77,946
  3. 3. Aberdeen28,189

Youngest Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Vermillion23.1 years
  2. 2. Brookings24.7 years
  3. 3. Box Elder28.8 years

Oldest Cities in South Dakota by Median Age

  1. 1. Hot Springs59.4 years
  2. 2. Deadwood57.3 years
  3. 3. Custer51.2 years

Population growth

Fastest-Growing Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Box Elder+17.2%
  2. 2. Deadwood+16.9%
  3. 3. Spearfish+13.1%

Fastest-Shrinking Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Custer-6.2%
  2. 2. Pierre-2.2%
  3. 3. Aberdeen-2.0%

Fastest-Growing Cities in South Dakota Since 2010

  1. 1. Box Elder+51.9%
  2. 2. Brandon+25.7%
  3. 3. Sioux Falls+25.2%

Climate

Warmest Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Winner49.8°F
  2. 2. Vermillion48.8°F
  3. 3. Yankton48.6°F

Coldest Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Aberdeen42.9°F
  2. 2. Watertown43.0°F
  3. 3. Brookings43.3°F

Snowiest Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Deadwood183.9 in
  2. 2. Lead183.9 in
  3. 3. Spearfish70.5 in

Wettest Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Deadwood31.8 in
  2. 2. Lead31.8 in
  3. 3. Yankton28.7 in

Driest Cities in South Dakota

  1. 1. Box Elder17.4 in
  2. 2. Belle Fourche18.0 in
  3. 3. Mobridge18.0 in

Natural hazards

Counties with the Highest Natural Hazard Risk in South Dakota

  1. 1. Minnehaha County89.5
  2. 2. Dewey County78.7
  3. 3. Pennington County78.6

Counties with the Lowest Natural Hazard Risk in South Dakota

  1. 1. Jones County1.3
  2. 2. Harding County1.5
  3. 3. Perkins County2.6

Counties with the Highest Expected Annual Loss from Natural Hazards in South Dakota

  1. 1. Minnehaha County$103.7M
  2. 2. Lincoln County$41.7M
  3. 3. Pennington County$40.8M

Environment

Counties with the Highest Radon Potential in South Dakota

  1. 1. Bennett County2
  2. 2. Butte County2
  3. 3. Custer County2

Counties with the Worst Air Quality in South Dakota

  1. 1. Meade County45
  2. 2. Custer County44
  3. 3. Jackson County44

Counties with the Cleanest Air in South Dakota

  1. 1. Hughes County8
  2. 2. Brown County24
  3. 3. Minnehaha County34

Counties in the Worst Drought in South Dakota

  1. 1. Potter County300.0
  2. 2. Dewey County252.9
  3. 3. Harding County247.8

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey, 2010 Census, Population Estimates Program), NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals and FEMA National Risk Index.