State place rankings
Best Places in South Dakota
Compare places by General Quality score or population. Each place links to its sourced facts, scores, and local summary.
General Quality score
Best overall places
- st
Brandon, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 11,306
- Median home value
- $336,600
- nd
Harrisburg, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 10,405
- Median home value
- $312,200
- rd
Tea, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 8,019
- Median home value
- $351,100
- th
Pierre, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 13,848
- Median home value
- $230,700
- th
Pine Lakes Addition, SD
Census-designated place
- General Quality
- Population
- 282
- Median home value
- $616,100
- th
Anderson, SD
Census-designated place
- General Quality
- Population
- 219
- Median home value
- $364,500
- th
Spearfish, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 14,154
- Median home value
- $346,200
- th
Aberdeen, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 27,961
- Median home value
- $217,300
- th
Meadow View Addition, SD
Census-designated place
- General Quality
- Population
- 879
- Median home value
- $250,600
- th
Hill City, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 938
- Median home value
- $286,200
- th
Watertown, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 23,736
- Median home value
- $229,400
- th
Brookings, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 25,355
- Median home value
- $265,500
- th
Dell Rapids, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 3,852
- Median home value
- $301,700
- th
Lennox, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 2,657
- Median home value
- $235,900
- th
Sioux Falls, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 213,748
- Median home value
- $292,400
- th
Hartford, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 3,635
- Median home value
- $257,700
- th
Shindler, SD
Census-designated place
- General Quality
- Population
- 579
- Median home value
- $617,600
- th
Lead, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 3,064
- Median home value
- $189,400
- th
Summerset, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 3,030
- Median home value
- $368,300
- th
Custer, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 1,803
- Median home value
- $235,600
- st
Dakota Dunes, SD
Census-designated place
- General Quality
- Population
- 3,936
- Median home value
- $565,600
- nd
Colonial Pine Hills, SD
Census-designated place
- General Quality
- Population
- 2,609
- Median home value
- $406,500
- rd
- General Quality
- Population
- 889
- Median home value
- $192,600
- th
Yankton, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 15,816
- Median home value
- $222,700
- th
Volga, SD
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 2,458
- Median home value
- $240,000
How this list is ranked
Places are ordered by General Quality score. General Quality is a balanced livability composite spanning safety, affordability, healthcare, climate, education, jobs, mobility, outdoors, taxes, and other core factors.
Largest to smallest
Population-ranked places
- st
Sioux Falls, SD
City
- Population
- 213,748
- Median home value
- $292,400
- Median rent
- $1,035
- nd
Rapid City, SD
City
- Population
- 80,589
- Median home value
- $299,400
- Median rent
- $1,109
- rd
Aberdeen, SD
City
- Population
- 27,961
- Median home value
- $217,300
- Median rent
- $762
- th
Brookings, SD
City
- Population
- 25,355
- Median home value
- $265,500
- Median rent
- $889
- th
Watertown, SD
City
- Population
- 23,736
- Median home value
- $229,400
- Median rent
- $942
- th
Yankton, SD
City
- Population
- 15,816
- Median home value
- $222,700
- Median rent
- $790
- th
Mitchell, SD
City
- Population
- 15,756
- Median home value
- $192,200
- Median rent
- $851
- th
Huron, SD
City
- Population
- 14,607
- Median home value
- $159,000
- Median rent
- $888
- th
Spearfish, SD
City
- Population
- 14,154
- Median home value
- $346,200
- Median rent
- $963
- th
Box Elder, SD
City
- Population
- 13,936
- Median home value
- $302,100
- Median rent
- $1,491
- th
Pierre, SD
City
- Population
- 13,848
- Median home value
- $230,700
- Median rent
- $983
- th
Vermillion, SD
City
- Population
- 11,720
- Median home value
- $219,000
- Median rent
- $764
- th
Brandon, SD
City
- Population
- 11,306
- Median home value
- $336,600
- Median rent
- $976
- th
Harrisburg, SD
City
- Population
- 10,405
- Median home value
- $312,200
- Median rent
- $1,362
- th
Tea, SD
City
- Population
- 8,019
- Median home value
- $351,100
- Median rent
- $1,220
- th
Rapid Valley, SD
Census-designated place
- Population
- 6,975
- Median home value
- $255,500
- Median rent
- $1,174
- th
Sturgis, SD
City
- Population
- 6,922
- Median home value
- $271,200
- Median rent
- $780
- th
Madison, SD
City
- Population
- 6,065
- Median home value
- $193,100
- Median rent
- $981
- th
- Population
- 5,791
- Median home value
- $222,500
- Median rent
- $983
- th
Dakota Dunes, SD
Census-designated place
- Population
- 3,936
- Median home value
- $565,600
- Median rent
- $1,225
- st
Dell Rapids, SD
City
- Population
- 3,852
- Median home value
- $301,700
- Median rent
- $962
- nd
Hot Springs, SD
City
- Population
- 3,670
- Median home value
- $202,600
- Median rent
- $897
- rd
Hartford, SD
City
- Population
- 3,635
- Median home value
- $257,700
- Median rent
- $938
- th
Milbank, SD
City
- Population
- 3,512
- Median home value
- $155,000
- Median rent
- $548
- th
Mobridge, SD
City
- Population
- 3,192
- Median home value
- $136,800
- Median rent
- $953
How this list is ranked
Places are ordered by their latest available population estimate. Incorporated places and census-designated places are both eligible when they appear in the published location data.
Annual Census population estimates are used where available; ACS place estimates fill coverage gaps.