The U.S. state of South Dakota is divided into 66 counties. Explore the South Dakota County Map, list of Counties in south-dakota along with their County Seats in alphabetical order and check their population, areas and the date of formation.
South Dakota County Map
About South Dakota County Map: The map showing the county boundary, all counties boundary, state capital and neighbouring states.
More South Dakota Maps & Info
About Counties of South Dakota
U.S State of South Dakota is seventeenth largest state by area. It is the fifth least populated state in United States. The state South Dakota became a state in the year 1889. South Dakota is located in the upper Midwestern part of the country. The state was named after Native American tribes called Lakota and Dakota Sioux. The capital city of the state is Pierre. The state is very famous for tourism and agriculture.
South Dakota Counties are 66 in number. The biggest county among the South Dakota Counties is Meade which covers 3,470.98 square miles. The other geographically big counties are Perkins and Pennington. Minnehaha County has the highest population with 197,214. Pennington and Lincoln counties have also large number of population of all the South Dakota Counties. The poorest county in the state is Ziebach County. The county that has highest per capita income is Union county among all South Dakota Counties. The largest cities of the state are Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Brookings, Watertown, Mitchell, Yankton and Pierre.
U.S State of South Dakota follows federal form of government like all other states in the country. The supreme law of the land is the constitution of South Dakota. The authority of the state is divided among three branches of the state namely Executive branch, Legislative branch and Judicial branch. The citizens of South Dakota were blessed with an option that they can amend the constitution. The executive branch is headed by the governor of South Dakota. The legislative branch of the state consists of two houses namely the Senate and the House of Representatives. The judicial branch of the state is made up of many courts like the Supreme Court which is the highest court in the state, circuit courts and so on.
The U.S. state of South Dakota has 66 counties. It is the 34th-largest state by area and has a population of around 886,000, according to the 2020 Census. South Dakota is located in the Midwestern region of the United States.
List of Counties in South Dakota with County Seats
| S.N | County | County seat | FIPS code | Formed | Population | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aurora County | Plankinton | 3 | 1881 | 2,747 (2020 Census) | 708 sq mi (1,834 km2) |
| 2 | Beadle County | Huron | 5 | 1879 | 19,149 | 1,259 sq mi (3,261 km2) |
| 3 | Bennett County | Martin | 7 | 1909 | 3,381 | 1,185 sq mi (3,069 km2) |
| 4 | Bon Homme County | Tyndall | 9 | 1862 | 7,003 | 563 sq mi (1,458 km2) |
| 5 | Brookings County | Brookings | 11 | 1862 | 34,375 | 794 sq mi (2,056 km2) |
| 6 | Brown County | Aberdeen | 13 | 1879 | 38,301 | 1,713 sq mi (4,437 km2) |
| 7 | Brule County | Chamberlain | 15 | 1875 | 5,247 | 819 sq mi (2,121 km2) |
| 8 | Buffalo County | Gann Valley | 17 | 1873 | 1,948 | 471 sq mi (1,220 km2) |
| 9 | Butte County | Belle Fourche | 19 | 1883 | 10,243 | 2,249 sq mi (5,825 km2) |
| 10 | Campbell County | Mound City | 21 | 1873 | 1,377 | 736 sq mi (1,906 km2) |
| 11 | Charles Mix County | Lake Andes | 23 | 1862 | 9,373 | 1,098 sq mi (2,844 km2) |
| 12 | Clark County | Clark | 25 | 1873 | 3,837 | 958 sq mi (2,481 km2) |
| 13 | Clay County | Vermillion | 27 | 1862 | 14,967 | 412 sq mi (1,067 km2) |
| 14 | Codington County | Watertown | 29 | 1877 | 28,325 | 688 sq mi (1,782 km2) |
| 15 | Corson County | McIntosh | 31 | 1909 | 3,902 | 2,473 sq mi (6,405 km2) |
| 16 | Custer County | Custer | 33 | 1875 | 8,318 | 1,668 sq mi (4,320 km2) |
| 17 | Davison County | Mitchell | 35 | 1873 | 19,956 | 436 sq mi (1,129 km2) |
| 18 | Day County | Webster | 37 | 1879 | 5,449 | 1,029 sq mi (2,665 km2) |
| 19 | Deuel County | Clear Lake | 39 | 1862 | 4,295 | 624 sq mi (1,616 km2) |
| 20 | Dewey County | Timber Lake | 41 | 1873 | 5,239 | 2,303 sq mi (5,965 km2) |
| 21 | Douglas County | Armour | 43 | 1873 | 2,835 | 434 sq mi (1,124 km2) |
| 22 | Edmunds County | Ipswich | 45 | 1873 | 3,986 | 1,146 sq mi (2,968 km2) |
| 23 | Fall River County | Hot Springs | 47 | 1883 | 6,973 | 1,740 sq mi (4,507 km2) |
| 24 | Faulk County | Faulkton | 49 | 1873 | 2,125 | 1,000 sq mi (2,590 km2) |
| 25 | Grant County | Milbank | 51 | 1873 | 7,666 | 682 sq mi (1,766 km2) |
| 26 | Gregory County | Burke | 53 | 1862 | 3,994 | 1,016 sq mi (2,631 km2) |
| 27 | Haakon County | Philip | 55 | 1914 | 1,872 | 1,813 sq mi (4,696 km2) |
| 28 | Hamlin County | Hayti | 57 | 1873 | 6,164 | 511 sq mi (1,323 km2) |
| 29 | Hand County | Miller | 59 | 1873 | 3,145 | 1,437 sq mi (3,722 km2) |
| 30 | Hanson County | Alexandria | 61 | 1873 | 3,461 | 435 sq mi (1,127 km2) |
| 31 | Harding County | Buffalo | 63 | 1909 | 1,311 | 2,671 sq mi (6,918 km2) |
| 32 | Hughes County | Pierre | 65 | 1880 | 17,765 | 741 sq mi (1,919 km2) |
| 33 | Hutchinson County | Olivet | 67 | 1862 | 7,427 | 813 sq mi (2,106 km2) |
| 34 | Hyde County | Highmore | 69 | 1873 | 1,262 | 861 sq mi (2,230 km2) |
| 35 | Jackson County | Kadoka | 71 | 1914 | 2,806 | 1,869 sq mi (4,841 km2) |
| 36 | Jerauld County | Wessington Springs | 73 | 1883 | 1,663 | 530 sq mi (1,373 km2) |
| 37 | Jones County | Murdo | 75 | 1916 | 917 | 971 sq mi (2,515 km2) |
| 38 | Kingsbury County | De Smet | 77 | 1873 | 5,187 | 838 sq mi (2,170 km2) |
| 39 | Lake County | Madison | 79 | 1873 | 11,059 | 563 sq mi (1,458 km2) |
| 40 | Lawrence County | Deadwood | 81 | 1875 | 25,768 | 800 sq mi (2,072 km2) |
| 41 | Lincoln County | Canton | 83 | 1867 | 65,161 | 578 sq mi (1,497 km2) |
| 42 | Lyman County | Kennebec | 85 | 1873 | 3,718 | 1,640 sq mi (4,248 km2) |
| 43 | Marshall County | Britton | 91 | 1885 | 4,306 | 839 sq mi (2,173 km2) |
| 44 | McCook County | Salem | 87 | 1873 | 5,682 | 575 sq mi (1,489 km2) |
| 45 | McPherson County | Leola | 89 | 1873 | 2,411 | 1,137 sq mi (2,945 km2) |
| 46 | Meade County | Sturgis | 93 | 1889 | 29,852 | 3,471 sq mi (8,990 km2) |
| 47 | Mellette County | White River | 95 | 1909 | 1,918 | 1,307 sq mi (3,385 km2) |
| 48 | Miner County | Howard | 97 | 1873 | 2,298 | 570 sq mi (1,476 km2) |
| 49 | Minnehaha County | Sioux Falls | 99 | 1862 | 197,214 | 809 sq mi (2,095 km2) |
| 50 | Moody County | Flandreau | 101 | 1873 | 6,336 | 520 sq mi (1,347 km2) |
| 51 | Oglala Lakota County | - | 102 | 1875 | 13,672 | 2,094 sq mi (5,423 km2) |
| 52 | Pennington County | Rapid City | 103 | 1875 | 109,222 | 2,776 sq mi (7,190 km2) |
| 53 | Perkins County | Bison | 105 | 1909 | 2,835 | 2,872 sq mi (7,438 km2) |
| 54 | Potter County | Gettysburg | 107 | 1875 | 2,472 | 866 sq mi (2,243 km2) |
| 55 | Roberts County | Sisseton | 109 | 1883 | 10,280 | 1,101 sq mi (2,852 km2) |
| 56 | Sanborn County | Woonsocket | 111 | 1883 | 2,330 | 569 sq mi (1,474 km2) |
| 57 | Spink County | Redfield | 115 | 1873 | 6,361 | 1,504 sq mi (3,895 km2) |
| 58 | Stanley County | Fort Pierre | 117 | 1873 | 2,980 | 1,443 sq mi (3,737 km2) |
| 59 | Sully County | Onida | 119 | 1873 | 1,446 | 1,007 sq mi (2,608 km2) |
| 60 | Todd County | - | 121 | 1909 | 9,319 | 1,388 sq mi (3,595 km2) |
| 61 | Tripp County | Winner | 123 | 1873 | 5,624 | 1,614 sq mi (4,180 km2) |
| 62 | Turner County | Parker | 125 | 1871 | 8,673 | 617 sq mi (1,598 km2) |
| 63 | Union County | Elk Point | 127 | 1862 | 16,811 | 460 sq mi (1,191 km2) |
| 64 | Walworth County | Selby | 129 | 1873 | 5,315 | 708 sq mi (1,834 km2) |
| 65 | Yankton County | Yankton | 135 | 1862 | 23,310 | 522 sq mi (1,352 km2) |
| 66 | Ziebach County | Dupree | 137 | 1911 | 2,413 | 1,962 sq mi (5,082 km2) |
South Dakota County Facts
| Continent | North America |
| Country | United States |
| State | South Dakota |
| Total Counties | 66 |
| Government | County government |
| Largest City | Sioux Falls |
| Subdivisions | Cities, towns, unincorporated communities |
| Total Area | 77,116 sq mi (199,729 sq km) |
| Population | 886,667 (2020 Census) |
| Largest County (Area) | Meade County (3,482 sq mi) |
| Smallest County (Area) | Clay County (417 sq mi) |
| Most Populous County | Minnehaha County (Population: 197,214 as per 2020 Census) |
| Least Populous County | Jones County (Population: 917 as per 2020 Census) |
| Highest Point | Black Elk Peak – 7,244 ft (2,208 m) |
| Lowest Point | Big Stone Lake – 966 ft (294 m) |
| Major Rivers | Missouri River, James River, Big Sioux River, Cheyenne River, White River |
| Important Highways | Interstate 90, I-29, US Route 12, US Route 14, US Route 83 |
| Time Zone | Central Time Zone (UTC -6 / UTC -5 DST), Mountain Time Zone (UTC -7 / UTC -6 DST) |
| Postal Abbreviation | SD |
| FIPS Code | 46 |
| Famous For | Mount Rushmore, Badlands, Black Hills, and wide open plains |
| Major Counties | Minnehaha, Pennington, Lincoln, Brown, Brookings |
| Top Attractions | Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, Black Hills, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial |
| Official Website | sd.gov |
20 Largest Cities in South Dakota by Population
| Rank | City | County | Population | Latitude / Longitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sioux Falls | Minnehaha County, Lincoln County | 192,517 (2020 Census) | 43.5446, -96.7311 |
| 2 | Rapid City | Pennington County | 74,703 | 44.0805, -103.2310 |
| 3 | Aberdeen | Brown County | 28,495 | 45.4647, -98.4865 |
| 4 | Brookings | Brookings County | 23,377 | 44.3114, -96.7984 |
| 5 | Watertown | Codington County | 22,655 | 44.8994, -97.1151 |
| 6 | Mitchell | Davison County | 15,660 | 43.7094, -98.0298 |
| 7 | Yankton | Yankton County | 15,411 | 42.8711, -97.3973 |
| 8 | Huron | Beadle County | 14,263 | 44.3633, -98.2143 |
| 9 | Pierre | Hughes County | 14,091 | 44.3683, -100.3510 |
| 10 | Spearfish | Lawrence County | 12,193 | 44.4908, -103.8594 |
| 11 | Box Elder | Pennington County, Meade County | 11,746 | 44.1125, -103.0688 |
| 12 | Vermillion | Clay County | 11,695 | 42.7794, -96.9292 |
| 13 | Brandon | Minnehaha County | 11,048 | 43.5947, -96.5717 |
| 14 | Sturgis | Meade County | 7,020 | 44.4097, -103.5091 |
| 15 | Harrisburg | Lincoln County | 6,732 | 43.4314, -96.6975 |
| 16 | Madison | Lake County | 6,191 | 44.0061, -97.1131 |
| 17 | Belle Fourche | Butte County | 5,617 | 44.6714, -103.8521 |
| 18 | Tea | Lincoln County | 5,598 | 43.4464, -96.8359 |
| 19 | Dell Rapids | Minnehaha County | 3,996 | 43.8233, -96.7120 |
| 20 | Milbank | Grant County | 3,544 | 45.2191, -96.6359 |
Frequently Asked Questions About South Dakota Counties
South Dakota is divided into 66 counties. These counties help manage local services, public records, courts, roads, and other community functions across the state.
Meade County is the largest county in South Dakota by land area. It covers about 3,471 square miles (8,990 square kilometers) and stretches across a large part of western South Dakota near the Black Hills region.
Minnehaha County is the most populated county in South Dakota. It includes Sioux Falls, the state’s largest city, and recorded a population of more than 197,000 people in the 2020 Census.
Some of the major cities in South Dakota include Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Brookings, Watertown, Mitchell, Pierre, and Yankton.
Pennington County, Lawrence County, Custer County, and Fall River County are among the most visited parts of South Dakota because of attractions such as Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills, Badlands National Park, and scenic drives.
A county seat is the main administrative center of a county. This is usually where the courthouse, county offices, and many public services are located.
- Alabama Counties
- Alaska boroughs
- Arizona Counties
- Arkansas Counties
- California County Map
- Colorado Counties
- Connecticut Counties
- Delaware Counties
- Florida County Map
- Georgia County Map
- Hawaii Counties
- Idaho Counties
- Illinois Counties
- Indiana Counties
- Iowa Counties
- Kansas Counties
- Kentucky Counties
- Louisiana Counties
- Maine Counties
- Maryland Counties
- Massachusetts Counties
- Michigan County Map
- Minnesota Counties
- Mississippi Counties
- Missouri Counties
- Montana Counties
- Nebraska Counties
- Nevada Counties
- New York Counties
- New Hampshire Counties
- New Jersey Counties
- New Mexico Counties
- North Carolina Counties
- North Dakota Counties
- Ohio County Map
- Oklahoma Counties
- Oregon Counties
- Pennsylvania Counties
- Rhode Island Counties
- South Carolina Counties
- South Dakota Counties
- Map of Tennessee
- Texas County Map
- Utah Counties
- Vermont Counties
- Virginia Counties
- Washington Counties
- West Virginia Counties
- Wisconsin Counties
- Wyoming Counties
Sources
- United States Census Bureau
- 2020 United States Census
- Official Website of South Dakota
- South Dakota State Historical Society
- United States Geological Survey (USGS)
- National Park Service - South Dakota
- Encyclopaedia Britannica - South Dakota
- South Dakota Tourism Official Website
- OpenStreetMap
- Google Maps
