Guest, Sign inJoin
St. Charles Hotel, Pierre, South DakotaPierre, the state capital · Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture · CC BY-SA 4.0
South Dakota · 35 graded towns

Towns and cities in South Dakota

10 of South Dakota’s 35 graded towns and cities (29%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns. Brandon ranks first in the state with an A+; jobs & income (A+) and schools (A) are its strongest grades; hazard risk (C+) is its lowest.

Letters are national: the overall grade blends cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk. How grades work

How South Dakota compares: report cardBest places to liveBest small townsMost affordable townsSafest townsTowns with the best schoolsHealthiest towns
35
towns of 2,500+ with an overall grade
10
grade A− or better nationally
0
of 2,500+ without enough data for a grade
50
smaller places (1,000–2,499) with subject grades
Towns by letter
A+4A2A−4B+7B2B−7C+4C2C−2D1D−0

All 35 graded towns

Every town of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade, A to Z. The rank is among 35 South Dakota towns on the best places to live list.

35 graded towns, A to Z.

Sort:
  1. B−AberdeenBrown County#21 of 3527,961
  2. CBelle FourcheButte County#32 of 355,791
  3. B+Big Sioux TownshipUnion County#11 of 355,152
  4. C+Blackhawkunincorporated, Meade County#29 of 352,934
  5. C−Box ElderPennington County#34 of 3513,936
  6. A+BrandonMinnehaha County#1 of 3511,306
  7. B+BrookingsBrookings County#17 of 3525,355
  8. A−CantonLincoln County#9 of 353,001
  9. C+Colonial Pine Hillsunincorporated, Pennington County#28 of 352,609
  10. A−Dakota Dunesunincorporated, Union County#10 of 353,936
  11. A+Dell RapidsMinnehaha County#3 of 353,852
  12. A−HarrisburgLincoln County#8 of 3510,405
  13. A+HartfordMinnehaha County#4 of 353,635
  14. B−Hot SpringsFall River County#23 of 353,670
  15. C−HuronBeadle County#33 of 3514,607
  16. B+LeadLawrence County#13 of 353,064
  17. A+LennoxLincoln County#2 of 352,657
  18. B+MadisonLake County#12 of 356,065
  19. AMilbankGrant County#5 of 353,512
  20. BMitchellDavison County#19 of 3515,756
  21. B+MobridgeWalworth County#14 of 353,192
  22. B−North Sioux CityUnion County#24 of 353,036
  23. B+PierreHughes County#15 of 3513,848
  24. DRapid CityPennington County#35 of 3580,589
  25. B−Rapid Valleyunincorporated, Pennington County#20 of 356,975
  26. C+Sioux FallsMinnehaha County#27 of 35213,748
  27. B−SpearfishLawrence County#22 of 3514,154
  28. ASplit Rock TownshipMinnehaha County#6 of 353,086
  29. C+SturgisMeade County#30 of 356,922
  30. B−SummersetMeade County#26 of 353,030
  31. A−TeaLincoln County#7 of 358,019
  32. B−VermillionClay County#25 of 3511,720
  33. BWatertownCodington County#18 of 3523,736
  34. CWinnerTripp County#31 of 352,969
  35. B+YanktonYankton County#16 of 3515,816
Also in South Dakota

Not on the ranked list

Not graded

Every South Dakota town of 2,500+ residents has an overall grade.

Smaller places 50 with 1,000–2,499 residents

These have subject grades (safety, schools, health and the rest) but no overall grade or rank: the overall starts at 2,500 residents.

Go deeper

Lists in South Dakota

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All South Dakota rankings →
Best places to live35 towns · #1 BrandonBest small towns21 towns · #1 LennoxMost affordable towns35 towns · #1 MilbankSafest towns23 towns · #1 Hot SpringsTowns with the best schools35 towns · #1 Brandon and Split Rock TownshipHealthiest towns35 towns · #1 Dakota DunesBest towns for jobs & income35 towns · #1 Split Rock TownshipMost walkable towns35 towns · #1 SturgisTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk35 towns · #1 Split Rock TownshipBest towns for the outdoors35 towns · #1 SpearfishMost historic towns35 towns · #1 LeadTowns with the most civic life31 towns · #1 CantonTowns with the least snow35 towns · #1 Hot SpringsDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns35 towns · #1 LeadDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters37 towns · #1 SpearfishDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers37 towns · #1 WinnerDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers37 towns · #1 LeadDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes35 towns · #1 Split Rock TownshipDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes35 towns · #1 WinnerDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns30 towns · #1 HarrisburgDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries15 towns · #1 CantonDescribed, no letters