Counties in South Dakota by population density

Minnehaha County had the highest population density of 66 counties in 2021, at 95.7 inhabitants per km². Harding County had the lowest, at 0.2 inhabitants per km². The median was 2.1 inhabitants per km² and the figure for South Dakota was 4.6 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest95.7Minnehaha County
Median2.166 counties
South Dakota4.6History

Top 40 counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Minnehaha CountyMinnehaha County: 95.7 inhabitants per km²95.7Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 45.5 inhabitants per km²45.5Davison CountyDavison County: 17.6 inhabitants per km²17.6Yankton CountyYankton County: 17.3 inhabitants per km²17.3Brookings CountyBrookings County: 16.9 inhabitants per km²16.9Codington CountyCodington County: 16 inhabitants per km²16Pennington CountyPennington County: 15.6 inhabitants per km²15.6Clay CountyClay County: 14.2 inhabitants per km²14.2Union CountyUnion County: 14.1 inhabitants per km²14.1Lawrence CountyLawrence County: 12.6 inhabitants per km²12.6Hughes CountyHughes County: 9.2 inhabitants per km²9.2Brown CountyBrown County: 8.6 inhabitants per km²8.6Lake CountyLake County: 7.5 inhabitants per km²7.5Beadle CountyBeadle County: 5.9 inhabitants per km²5.9Turner CountyTurner County: 5.4 inhabitants per km²5.4Bon Homme CountyBon Homme County: 4.8 inhabitants per km²4.8Hamlin CountyHamlin County: 4.8 inhabitants per km²4.8Moody CountyMoody County: 4.7 inhabitants per km²4.7Grant CountyGrant County: 4.3 inhabitants per km²4.3McCook CountyMcCook County: 3.8 inhabitants per km²3.8Roberts CountyRoberts County: 3.6 inhabitants per km²3.6Hutchinson CountyHutchinson County: 3.5 inhabitants per km²3.5Meade CountyMeade County: 3.4 inhabitants per km²3.4Charles Mix CountyCharles Mix County: 3.2 inhabitants per km²3.2Hanson CountyHanson County: 3.1 inhabitants per km²3.1Walworth CountyWalworth County: 2.9 inhabitants per km²2.9Deuel CountyDeuel County: 2.7 inhabitants per km²2.7Todd CountyTodd County: 2.6 inhabitants per km²2.6Douglas CountyDouglas County: 2.5 inhabitants per km²2.5Oglala Lakota CountyOglala Lakota County: 2.5 inhabitants per km²2.5Brule CountyBrule County: 2.5 inhabitants per km²2.5Kingsbury CountyKingsbury County: 2.4 inhabitants per km²2.4Custer CountyCuster County: 2.1 inhabitants per km²2.1Day CountyDay County: 2 inhabitants per km²2Marshall CountyMarshall County: 2 inhabitants per km²2Butte CountyButte County: 1.8 inhabitants per km²1.8Sanborn CountySanborn County: 1.6 inhabitants per km²1.6Spink CountySpink County: 1.6 inhabitants per km²1.6Fall River CountyFall River County: 1.6 inhabitants per km²1.6Miner CountyMiner County: 1.6 inhabitants per km²1.6
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
inhabitants per km²
Change on 2020
1Minnehaha County95.7+1.1%
2Lincoln County45.5+3.6%
3Davison County17.6-0.3%
4Yankton County17.3+0.3%
5Brookings County16.9+1%
6Codington County16+0.5%
7Pennington County15.6+2.2%
8Clay County14.2+1.1%
9Union County14.1+0.1%
10Lawrence County12.6+1.2%
11Hughes County9.2+0.2%
12Brown County8.6-0.3%
13Lake County7.5-1.4%
14Beadle County5.9+0.1%
15Turner County5.40%
16Bon Homme County4.8+0.5%
17Hamlin County4.8+1.6%
18Moody County4.7-0.4%
19Grant County4.3+0.3%
20McCook County3.8+0.8%
21Roberts County3.6-0.9%
22Hutchinson County3.5-0.7%
23Meade County3.4+1.3%
24Charles Mix County3.2-2%
25Hanson County3.1+1.3%
26Walworth County2.9-0.7%
27Deuel County2.7-0.1%
28Todd County2.6-0.3%
29Douglas County2.5-0.8%
30Oglala Lakota County2.5-0.8%
31Brule County2.50%
32Kingsbury County2.40%
33Custer County2.1+3.7%
34Day County2-0.4%
35Marshall County2+0.4%
36Butte County1.8+2.4%
37Sanborn County1.6+2.1%
38Spink County1.6-1.2%
39Fall River County1.6+3.6%
40Miner County1.6+0.4%
41Clark County1.6+0.6%
42Buffalo County1.5-2.7%
43Gregory County1.5-1.1%
44Aurora County1.50%
45Edmunds County1.4+1.2%
46Tripp County1.3-0.5%
47Jerauld County1.20%
48Bennett County1.10%
49Potter County1.1-0.3%
50Lyman County0.9+1.2%
51Dewey County0.9-0.2%
52Faulk County0.8-0.6%
53Hand County0.8-1.9%
54McPherson County0.8+0.6%
55Stanley County0.8+2.1%
56Campbell County0.7+0.1%
57Corson County0.6-1.2%
58Jackson County0.6+2.2%
59Sully County0.6+1.6%
60Mellette County0.6-1.1%
61Hyde County0.6-1.6%
62Ziebach County0.5-0.4%
63Haakon County0.4-1.8%
64Perkins County0.4-0.5%
65Jones County0.4-5.1%
66Harding County0.2+1.6%

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population divided by land area in km². World Bank figures use mid-year population and land area excluding inland water.

United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July divided by land area (water excluded) from the latest Census Gazetteer files. US tables often give people per square mile; multiply persons per km² by 2.59 to compare.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which county has the highest population density?

Minnehaha County, with 95.7 inhabitants per km² in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Harding County, with 0.2 inhabitants per km² in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Population density: other rankings

Counties in South Dakota: more rankings