Counties in South Dakota by population density

Minnehaha County had the highest population density of 66 counties in 2024, at 100.2 inhabitants per km². Harding County had the lowest, at 0.2 inhabitants per km². The median was 2.2 inhabitants per km² and the figure for South Dakota was 4.7 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest100.2Minnehaha County
Median2.266 counties
South Dakota4.7History

Top 40 counties, 2024

CSVChart (SVG)

Minnehaha CountyMinnehaha County: 100.2 inhabitants per km²100.2Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 50.2 inhabitants per km²50.2Brookings CountyBrookings County: 17.9 inhabitants per km²17.9Davison CountyDavison County: 17.7 inhabitants per km²17.7Yankton CountyYankton County: 17.5 inhabitants per km²17.5Codington CountyCodington County: 16.4 inhabitants per km²16.4Pennington CountyPennington County: 16.2 inhabitants per km²16.2Union CountyUnion County: 14.5 inhabitants per km²14.5Clay CountyClay County: 14.2 inhabitants per km²14.2Lawrence CountyLawrence County: 13.9 inhabitants per km²13.9Hughes CountyHughes County: 9.1 inhabitants per km²9.1Brown CountyBrown County: 8.5 inhabitants per km²8.5Lake CountyLake County: 7.6 inhabitants per km²7.6Beadle CountyBeadle County: 6 inhabitants per km²6Turner CountyTurner County: 5.8 inhabitants per km²5.8Hamlin CountyHamlin County: 5.1 inhabitants per km²5.1Moody CountyMoody County: 4.9 inhabitants per km²4.9Bon Homme CountyBon Homme County: 4.9 inhabitants per km²4.9Grant CountyGrant County: 4.3 inhabitants per km²4.3McCook CountyMcCook County: 4 inhabitants per km²4Roberts 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: 3.3 inhabitants per km²3.3Hanson 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: 2.6 inhabitants per km²2.6Brule 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: 2.5 inhabitants per km²2.5Custer 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 km²1.6Clark CountyClark County: 1.6 inhabitants per km²1.6Sanborn CountySanborn 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

RankCounties2024
inhabitants per km²
Change on 2023
1Minnehaha County100.2+1.6%
2Lincoln County50.2+3.2%
3Brookings County17.9+2.8%
4Davison County17.7+0.1%
5Yankton County17.5+0.3%
6Codington County16.4+1.1%
7Pennington County16.2+0.4%
8Union County14.5+1.3%
9Clay County14.2-1%
10Lawrence County13.9+2.4%
11Hughes County9.1-0.4%
12Brown County8.5-0.2%
13Lake County7.6-0.1%
14Beadle County6+1.2%
15Turner County5.8+0.6%
16Hamlin County5.1+3.9%
17Moody County4.9+2.1%
18Bon Homme County4.9+0.6%
19Grant County4.3+0.7%
20McCook County4+0.7%
21Roberts County3.6+0.9%
22Hutchinson County3.5+0.1%
23Meade County3.4-0.2%
24Charles Mix County3.3+0.6%
25Hanson County3.1+0.7%
26Walworth County2.9-0.2%
27Deuel County2.7+0.3%
28Douglas County2.6+0.8%
29Brule County2.5-0.5%
30Todd County2.5-0.7%
31Oglala Lakota County2.5-0%
32Kingsbury County2.5+0.4%
33Custer County2.3+2.3%
34Day County2+0.3%
35Marshall County2+1%
36Butte County1.9+0.3%
37Fall River County1.6+0.6%
38Clark County1.6+1.3%
39Sanborn County1.6-0.8%
40Spink County1.6-0.2%
41Gregory County1.5+1.6%
42Miner County1.5-0.5%
43Aurora County1.5+0.4%
44Buffalo County1.5-3.3%
45Edmunds County1.4-0.3%
46Tripp County1.4+0.7%
47Jerauld County1.2-0.6%
48Bennett County1.1-0.2%
49Potter County1.1-0.1%
50Dewey County0.90%
51Lyman County0.9+0.6%
52Faulk County0.9+1.4%
53Hand County0.8-0.1%
54Stanley County0.8-0.9%
55McPherson County0.8-0.4%
56Campbell County0.7-0.1%
57Mellette County0.6+7.1%
58Corson County0.60%
59Sully County0.6-0.9%
60Jackson County0.6-1.4%
61Hyde County0.5+2.1%
62Ziebach County0.5+1.1%
63Haakon County0.4-1.8%
64Perkins County0.4+0.8%
65Jones County0.4+3.8%
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 100.2 inhabitants per km² in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Harding County, with 0.2 inhabitants per km² in 2024.

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