Counties in South Dakota by population density

Minnehaha County had the highest population density of 66 counties in 2022, at 97.4 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.

Highest97.4Minnehaha County
Median2.166 counties
South Dakota4.6History

Top 40 counties, 2022

CSVChart (SVG)

Minnehaha CountyMinnehaha County: 97.4 inhabitants per km²97.4Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 47.5 inhabitants per km²47.5Davison CountyDavison County: 17.7 inhabitants per km²17.7Yankton CountyYankton County: 17.3 inhabitants per km²17.3Brookings CountyBrookings County: 17.2 inhabitants per km²17.2Codington CountyCodington County: 16.1 inhabitants per km²16.1Pennington CountyPennington County: 15.9 inhabitants per km²15.9Clay CountyClay County: 14.3 inhabitants per km²14.3Union CountyUnion County: 14.3 inhabitants per km²14.3Lawrence CountyLawrence County: 13.1 inhabitants per km²13.1Hughes 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: 5.6 inhabitants per km²5.6Hamlin CountyHamlin County: 4.9 inhabitants per km²4.9Bon Homme CountyBon Homme County: 4.9 inhabitants per km²4.9Moody CountyMoody County: 4.7 inhabitants per km²4.7Grant CountyGrant County: 4.3 inhabitants per km²4.3McCook CountyMcCook County: 3.9 inhabitants per km²3.9Roberts 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: 2.5 inhabitants per km²2.5Brule CountyBrule County: 2.5 inhabitants per km²2.5Douglas CountyDouglas County: 2.5 inhabitants per km²2.5Oglala Lakota CountyOglala Lakota County: 2.5 inhabitants per km²2.5Kingsbury CountyKingsbury County: 2.4 inhabitants per km²2.4Custer CountyCuster County: 2.2 inhabitants per km²2.2Day CountyDay County: 2.1 inhabitants per km²2.1Marshall CountyMarshall County: 2 inhabitants per km²2Butte CountyButte County: 1.9 inhabitants per km²1.9Fall River CountyFall River County: 1.6 inhabitants per km²1.6Sanborn CountySanborn County: 1.6 inhabitants per km²1.6Spink CountySpink County: 1.6 inhabitants per km²1.6Clark CountyClark 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

RankCounties2022
inhabitants per km²
Change on 2021
1Minnehaha County97.4+1.8%
2Lincoln County47.5+4.3%
3Davison County17.7+0.6%
4Yankton County17.3+0.2%
5Brookings County17.2+2%
6Codington County16.1+0.9%
7Pennington County15.9+2.1%
8Clay County14.3+0.6%
9Union County14.3+1.2%
10Lawrence County13.1+4%
11Hughes County9.2-0.6%
12Brown County8.6-0.5%
13Lake County7.5+0.8%
14Beadle County5.9+0.5%
15Turner County5.6+2.7%
16Hamlin County4.9+2.4%
17Bon Homme County4.9+1.1%
18Moody County4.7+1%
19Grant County4.3-0.3%
20McCook County3.9+1.4%
21Roberts County3.6-0.3%
22Hutchinson County3.50%
23Meade County3.4+1.2%
24Charles Mix County3.2+0.7%
25Hanson County3.1-1.3%
26Walworth County2.9+0.1%
27Deuel County2.7+1.5%
28Todd County2.5-1.4%
29Brule County2.5+1.3%
30Douglas County2.5-0.7%
31Oglala Lakota County2.5-0.5%
32Kingsbury County2.4+1.3%
33Custer County2.2+4.3%
34Day County2.1+1.1%
35Marshall County2+1.1%
36Butte County1.9+2.3%
37Fall River County1.6+2.2%
38Sanborn County1.6+1.3%
39Spink County1.6-0.4%
40Clark County1.6+1.9%
41Miner County1.5-1%
42Gregory County1.5+0.9%
43Aurora County1.5+1%
44Buffalo County1.5-2.7%
45Edmunds County1.4+1.4%
46Tripp County1.30%
47Jerauld County1.2+0.7%
48Potter County1.1-0.8%
49Bennett County1.1-1.7%
50Lyman County0.9-1.3%
51Dewey County0.9-2.3%
52Hand County0.8+1.1%
53Faulk County0.80%
54McPherson County0.8-0.6%
55Stanley County0.8-0.6%
56Campbell County0.7-1%
57Corson County0.6-1%
58Jackson County0.6-1.2%
59Sully County0.6+0.2%
60Mellette County0.6-1.6%
61Hyde County0.5-3.1%
62Ziebach County0.5-0.2%
63Haakon County0.4-0.5%
64Perkins County0.4-0.8%
65Jones County0.3-0.9%
66Harding County0.20%

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 97.4 inhabitants per km² in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Harding County, with 0.2 inhabitants per km² in 2022.

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