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Spearfish historic commercial district, Lawrence County, SDSpearfish, #1 on this list · Photo: JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD · CC BY-SA 3.0
South Dakota rankings · Outdoors

Best towns for the outdoors in South Dakota

Spearfish ranks first on outdoors among South Dakota’s 35 towns of 2,500+; 9 of the 35 grade A− or better on outdoors nationally.

The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. How grades work

#1

Spearfish

Lawrence County · 14,154 people
A

Outdoors grade, better than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #22 of 35 in SD

#3

Hot Springs

Fall River County · 3,670 people
A

Outdoors grade, better than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #23 of 35 in SD

All 35 towns

Outdoors grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

35 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1SpearfishLawrence County · 14,154 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #22 of 35
2Big Sioux TownshipUnion County · 5,152 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #11 of 35
3Hot SpringsFall River County · 3,670 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #23 of 35
4MilbankGrant County · 3,512 peopleAbetter than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #5 of 35
5BrookingsBrookings County · 25,355 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #17 of 35
6Dell RapidsMinnehaha County · 3,852 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 35
7AberdeenBrown County · 27,961 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #21 of 35
8WatertownCodington County · 23,736 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #18 of 35
9PierreHughes County · 13,848 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #15 of 35
10YanktonYankton County · 15,816 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #16 of 35
11Sioux FallsMinnehaha County · 213,748 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #27 of 35
12MadisonLake County · 6,065 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #12 of 35
13HuronBeadle County · 14,607 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #33 of 35
14Rapid CityPennington County · 80,589 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #35 of 35
15TeaLincoln County · 8,019 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #7 of 35
16SturgisMeade County · 6,922 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #30 of 35
17MitchellDavison County · 15,756 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #19 of 35
18BrandonMinnehaha County · 11,306 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 35
19VermillionClay County · 11,720 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #25 of 35
20CantonLincoln County · 3,001 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #9 of 35
21Split Rock TownshipMinnehaha County · 3,086 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #6 of 35
22LeadLawrence County · 3,064 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #13 of 35
23HartfordMinnehaha County · 3,635 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #4 of 35
24WinnerTripp County · 2,969 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #31 of 35
25Belle FourcheButte County · 5,791 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #32 of 35
26MobridgeWalworth County · 3,192 peopleC+better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #14 of 35
27Dakota Dunesunincorporated, Union County · 3,936 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #10 of 35
28Blackhawkunincorporated, Meade County · 2,934 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #29 of 35
29Colonial Pine Hillsunincorporated, Pennington County · 2,609 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #28 of 35
30HarrisburgLincoln County · 10,405 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #8 of 35
31Box ElderPennington County · 13,936 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #34 of 35
32North Sioux CityUnion County · 3,036 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #24 of 35
33SummersetMeade County · 3,030 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #26 of 35
34LennoxLincoln County · 2,657 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 35
35Rapid Valleyunincorporated, Pennington County · 6,975 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #20 of 35
Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which South Dakota town is best for the outdoors?

Spearfish (Lawrence County) ranks first on outdoors among 35 towns, with an A; Big Sioux Township and Hot Springs follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a outdoors grade (35 in South Dakota). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the South Dakota page.

Go deeper

More South Dakota lists

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 TownshipMost 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
Other states

Best towns for the outdoors in other states

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