RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 18 SHOWN OF 18

Most sparsely populated, South Dakota cities

South Dakota cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 18 cities in South Dakota that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 18 is 1,503.

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South DakotaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Belle Fourche, SDSD5,791654+27%

02Spearfish, SDSD14,154821+64%

03Box Elder, SDSD13,936945+391%

04Pierre, SDSD13,8481,0630%

05Sturgis, SDSD6,9221,078+7%

06Watertown, SDSD23,7361,287+17%

07▲1Madison, SDSD6,0651,314−7%

08▲2Mitchell, SDSD15,7561,367+8%

09Rapid City, SDSD80,5891,463+35%

10▲2Huron, SDSD14,6071,503+23%

11▲4Aberdeen, SDSD27,9611,693+13%

12▲2Brookings, SDSD25,3551,817+37%

13▲3Yankton, SDSD15,8161,818+17%

14▲3Brandon, SDSD11,3061,976+99%

15▼2Tea, SDSD8,0192,118+360%

16▼5Harrisburg, SDSD10,4052,182+986%

17▲2Vermillion, SDSD11,7202,514+20%

18Sioux Falls, SDSD213,7482,586+72%

SHOWING 1–18 OF 18

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES