18 have matched ACS place data.
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State index
South Dakota state guide
Compare large South Dakota cities by 2025 Census population, young-grad fit, BLS state unemployment, schooling access, cost pressure, commute, and safety-check notes. The current South Dakota subset includes 18 Midwest city pages with a combined 2025 population estimate of 519,734.
What the current South Dakota catalog shows
Harrisburg, South Dakota has the strongest verified population-growth signal in this South Dakota subset at +54.47% since the 2020 estimates base. Brandon, South Dakota has the lowest ACS rent-to-income baseline among the matched catalog cities at 10.6%. These figures describe the WhereToLive.us city subset, not a statewide average.
Median of matched city ACS gross-rent estimates; not a statewide rent.
Median of matched city ACS household-income estimates; not a statewide income.
Median of matched city ACS owner-occupied home values.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota leads this subset at 88/100.
Median of matched city approximate ACS commute estimates.
| City | Catalog | Grad fit | Median rent | Median income | 2025 population | City unemployment | Growth | Jobs | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls, South Dakota | State starter | 88/100 | $1,035 | $75,970 | 213,748 | 2.5% | +10.90% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Rapid City, South Dakota | South Dakota coverage | 80/100 | $1,109 | $70,870 | 80,589 | 2.6% | +7.83% | strong | rent watch |
| Aberdeen, South Dakota | South Dakota coverage | 72/100 | $762 | $64,405 | 27,961 | 3.7% | -1.82% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Brookings, South Dakota | South Dakota coverage | 85/100 | $889 | $63,493 | 25,355 | 4.5% | +8.45% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Watertown, South Dakota | South Dakota coverage | 77/100 | $942 | $69,600 | 23,736 | 1.8% | +4.78% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Yankton, South Dakota | South Dakota coverage | 77/100 | $790 | $67,804 | 15,816 | 2.0% | +2.44% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Mitchell, South Dakota | South Dakota coverage | 71/100 | $851 | $58,620 | 15,756 | 1.0% | +0.50% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Huron, South Dakota | South Dakota coverage | 74/100 | $888 | $61,452 | 14,607 | 2.6% | +2.47% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Spearfish, South Dakota | South Dakota coverage | 87/100 | $963 | $65,688 | 14,154 | 2.2% | +15.91% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Box Elder, South Dakota | South Dakota coverage | 80/100 | $1,491 | $73,008 | 13,936 | 4.9% | +17.56% | strong | rent stretched |
| Pierre, South Dakota | 2025 population #2551 | 74/100 | $983 | $77,672 | 13,848 | 1.2% | -1.74% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Vermillion, South Dakota | 2025 population #2878 | 75/100 | $764 | $50,456 | 11,720 | 8.5% | +0.15% | strong | rent watch |
| Brandon, South Dakota | 2025 population #2944 | 79/100 | $976 | $110,806 | 11,306 | 1.2% | +2.45% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Harrisburg, South Dakota | 2025 population #3125 | 87/100 | $1,362 | $108,724 | 10,405 | 1.0% | +54.47% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Tea, South Dakota | 2025 population #3741 | 88/100 | $1,220 | $120,139 | 8,019 | 2.0% | +42.74% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Sturgis, South Dakota | 2025 population #4099 | 67/100 | $780 | $54,404 | 6,922 | 3.0% | -2.41% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Madison, South Dakota | 2025 population #4392 | 71/100 | $981 | $65,593 | 6,065 | 4.4% | -2.05% | strong | rent-friendly |
| Belle Fourche, South Dakota | 2025 population #4518 | 71/100 | $983 | $65,071 | 5,791 | 2.6% | +2.93% | strong | rent watch |