South Dakota Counties by Population (2025)
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Top 5 Most Populous Counties
66 Counties
| County | 2025 Pop. ↓ | Area (mi²) | Density | Change (2020) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnehaha County | 213,100 | 807 | 264 | 7.79% |
| Pennington County | 119,097 | 2.8K | 43 | 8.7% |
| Lincoln County | 77,666 | 577 | 135 | 18.31% |
| Brown County | 37,397 | 1.7K | 22 | -2.17% |
| Brookings County | 36,958 | 792 | 47 | 7.61% |
| Meade County | 31,458 | 3.5K | 9 | 5.21% |
| Lawrence County | 29,679 | 800 | 37 | 14.84% |
| Codington County | 29,441 | 688 | 43 | 3.84% |
| Yankton County | 23,727 | 521 | 46 | 1.89% |
| Davison County | 19,952 | 436 | 46 | -0.02% |
| Beadle County | 19,797 | 1.3K | 16 | 3.3% |
| Hughes County | 17,510 | 742 | 24 | -1.3% |
| Union County | 17,423 | 461 | 38 | 3.34% |
| Clay County | 15,691 | 412 | 38 | 4.61% |
| Oglala Lakota County | 13,286 | 2.1K | 6 | -2.65% |
| Lake County | 11,213 | 563 | 20 | 1.78% |
| Butte County | 11,009 | 2.3K | 5 | 6.96% |
| Roberts County | 10,340 | 1.1K | 9 | 0.88% |
| Custer County | 9,309 | 1.6K | 6 | 11.69% |
| Turner County | 9,305 | 617 | 15 | 7.26% |
| Charles Mix County | 9,256 | 1.1K | 8 | -1.2% |
| Todd County | 9,131 | 1.4K | 7 | -2.06% |
| Grant County | 7,687 | 681 | 11 | 1.98% |
| Hutchinson County | 7,480 | 813 | 9 | 0.73% |
| Fall River County | 7,385 | 1.7K | 4 | 5.95% |
| Bon Homme County | 7,067 | 564 | 13 | 1.39% |
| Moody County | 6,586 | 519 | 13 | 3.96% |
| Hamlin County | 6,565 | 507 | 13 | 6.47% |
| Spink County | 6,042 | 1.5K | 4 | -4.7% |
| McCook County | 5,891 | 574 | 10 | 3.9% |
| Tripp County | 5,705 | 1.6K | 4 | 1.68% |
| Day County | 5,403 | 1K | 5 | -0.75% |
| Dewey County | 5,340 | 2.3K | 2 | 2.2% |
| Brule County | 5,331 | 817 | 7 | 1.72% |
| Kingsbury County | 5,270 | 832 | 6 | 1.37% |
| Walworth County | 5,235 | 707 | 7 | -1.11% |
| Marshall County | 4,444 | 838 | 5 | 3.16% |
| Deuel County | 4,340 | 623 | 7 | 1.05% |
| Gregory County | 4,056 | 1K | 4 | 1.32% |
| Edmunds County | 4,029 | 1.1K | 4 | 1.03% |
| Clark County | 3,998 | 958 | 4 | 3.76% |
| Corson County | 3,712 | 2.5K | 2 | -4.7% |
| Lyman County | 3,705 | 1.6K | 2 | 0.03% |
| Hanson County | 3,455 | 435 | 8 | -0.23% |
| Bennett County | 3,249 | 1.2K | 3 | -4.1% |
| Hand County | 3,097 | 1.4K | 2 | -1.37% |
| Stanley County | 3,095 | 1.4K | 2 | 4.17% |
| Douglas County | 2,940 | 432 | 7 | 3.74% |
| Perkins County | 2,884 | 2.9K | 1 | 1.48% |
| Aurora County | 2,822 | 708 | 4 | 3.18% |
| Jackson County | 2,664 | 1.9K | 1 | -4.82% |
| Sanborn County | 2,391 | 569 | 4 | 2.79% |
| Potter County | 2,347 | 861 | 3 | -5.1% |
| Miner County | 2,270 | 570 | 4 | -1.48% |
| McPherson County | 2,210 | 1.1K | 2 | -7.99% |
| Faulk County | 2,209 | 982 | 2 | 3.61% |
| Ziebach County | 2,178 | 2K | 1 | -9.06% |
| Buffalo County | 1,944 | 471 | 4 | 0.26% |
| Haakon County | 1,885 | 1.8K | 1 | 1.02% |
| Mellette County | 1,807 | 1.3K | 1 | -5.89% |
| Jerauld County | 1,656 | 526 | 3 | 0.49% |
| Sully County | 1,518 | 1K | 2 | 4.62% |
| Campbell County | 1,310 | 734 | 2 | -4.93% |
| Harding County | 1,294 | 2.7K | 0.48 | -1.07% |
| Hyde County | 1,160 | 861 | 1 | -7.2% |
| Jones County | 815 | 970 | 1 | -11.99% |
Overview of South Dakota Counties
There are 66 counties in South Dakota.
Minnehaha County is the largest county in the state, with a population of 213,100. The most recent census shows that its population has increased by 0.08% since the previous census.
A number of other South Dakota counties also boast relatively large populations for their state, though not able to match the density of Minnehaha County:
- Pennington County : 119,097
- Lincoln County : 77,666
South Dakota Counties with the Fewest Residents
The smallest county in South Dakota is Jones County , with a population of just 815. This total represents a decrease of 0.1% since the last census count was performed.
Other small counties include:
- Hyde County : 1,160
- Harding County : 1,294
- Campbell County : 1,310
South Dakota Counties with Rapid Growth
Lincoln County , with its current population of 77,666, has shown the largest population growth, with an increase of 0.2% since the last census.
On the other hand, Jones County has had the largest decrease in population, with its 815 current residents totalling 0.1% less than the previous census.
Sources
- US Census State Population Estimates - Most recent state estimates from the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program
- US Census County Population Estimates - Most recent county estimates from the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program
- American Community Survey (2009 - 2013)
- Census QuickFacts
- Historical Populations of States and Counties (1790 - 1990)