Counties in South Dakota by population density

Minnehaha County had the highest population density of 66 counties in 2023, at 98.7 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 4.7 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest98.7Minnehaha County
Median2.166 counties
South Dakota4.7History

Top 40 counties, 2023

CSVChart (SVG)

Minnehaha CountyMinnehaha County: 98.7 inhabitants per km²98.7Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 48.7 inhabitants per km²48.7Davison CountyDavison County: 17.7 inhabitants per km²17.7Brookings CountyBrookings County: 17.5 inhabitants per km²17.5Yankton CountyYankton County: 17.4 inhabitants per km²17.4Codington CountyCodington County: 16.3 inhabitants per km²16.3Pennington CountyPennington County: 16.1 inhabitants per km²16.1Clay CountyClay County: 14.4 inhabitants per km²14.4Union CountyUnion County: 14.3 inhabitants per km²14.3Lawrence CountyLawrence County: 13.5 inhabitants per km²13.5Hughes CountyHughes County: 9.2 inhabitants per km²9.2Brown CountyBrown County: 8.5 inhabitants per km²8.5Lake CountyLake County: 7.6 inhabitants per km²7.6Beadle CountyBeadle County: 5.9 inhabitants per km²5.9Turner CountyTurner County: 5.7 inhabitants per km²5.7Hamlin CountyHamlin County: 4.9 inhabitants per km²4.9Bon Homme CountyBon Homme County: 4.9 inhabitants per km²4.9Moody CountyMoody County: 4.8 inhabitants per km²4.8Grant 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 km²2.7Douglas CountyDouglas County: 2.5 inhabitants per km²2.5Brule CountyBrule County: 2.5 inhabitants per km²2.5Todd CountyTodd 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: 2.3 inhabitants per km²2.3Day CountyDay County: 2 inhabitants per km²2Marshall 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 km²1.6Clark CountyClark County: 1.6 inhabitants per km²1.6Spink CountySpink 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

RankCounties2023
inhabitants per km²
Change on 2022
1Minnehaha County98.7+1.3%
2Lincoln County48.7+2.6%
3Davison County17.7-0.3%
4Brookings County17.5+1.2%
5Yankton County17.4+0.4%
6Codington County16.3+0.7%
7Pennington County16.1+1.4%
8Clay County14.4+0.5%
9Union County14.3+0.4%
10Lawrence County13.5+3%
11Hughes County9.2-0.2%
12Brown County8.5-0.7%
13Lake County7.6+1%
14Beadle County5.9+0.1%
15Turner County5.7+2.9%
16Hamlin County4.9+1%
17Bon Homme County4.9+0.2%
18Moody County4.8+1.3%
19Grant County4.3+0.3%
20McCook County3.9+0.7%
21Roberts County3.6+0.4%
22Hutchinson County3.5+0.3%
23Meade County3.4+0.9%
24Charles Mix County3.20%
25Hanson County3.1+0.4%
26Walworth County2.9-0%
27Deuel County2.7+0.1%
28Douglas County2.5+1.8%
29Brule County2.5-0%
30Todd County2.5-2%
31Oglala Lakota County2.5-0.4%
32Kingsbury County2.4-0.2%
33Custer County2.3+1.1%
34Day County2-0.9%
35Marshall County2+0.6%
36Butte County1.9+0.6%
37Fall River County1.6-0.1%
38Sanborn County1.6-0.6%
39Clark County1.6+0.1%
40Spink County1.6-1.2%
41Miner County1.6+0.2%
42Buffalo County1.5+2.2%
43Gregory County1.5+0.6%
44Aurora County1.5+0.8%
45Edmunds County1.4-1.1%
46Tripp County1.4+2.2%
47Jerauld County1.2+1.8%
48Bennett County1.1-0.7%
49Potter County1.1-1.6%
50Dewey County0.9+5.7%
51Lyman County0.9-0.6%
52Faulk County0.8+1.6%
53Hand County0.8+0.1%
54Stanley County0.8+0.5%
55McPherson County0.8-2.5%
56Campbell County0.7-1.5%
57Corson County0.6-0.8%
58Jackson County0.6-2.6%
59Sully County0.6+0.7%
60Mellette County0.6+2.5%
61Hyde County0.5-0.6%
62Ziebach County0.5-0.9%
63Haakon County0.4+1.5%
64Perkins County0.4+0.5%
65Jones County0.3-0.6%
66Harding County0.2-0.5%

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 98.7 inhabitants per km² in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Harding County, with 0.2 inhabitants per km² in 2023.

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