Is South Dakota's population growing or shrinking?
Refreshed annually
It grew by 8,000 between 2024 and 2025. That’s more than the population of the city of Tea. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. South Dakota’s 0.86% annual increase was primarily driven by immigration to the state. In the decade between 2015 and 2025, South Dakota’s population grew by 9.7%.
+7.98K
population change (2024 to 2025)
+0.86%
percent change in population (2024 to 2025)
Since 2000, South Dakota's population increased in 25 of 25 years. The largest increase occurred between 2021 and 2022, when it gained 12,900 residents. The state's smallest increase during the 21st century occurred between 2001 and 2002 when it gained 2,000 residents.
South Dakota gained 8,000 residents between 2024 and 2025.
Annual population change, 1901–2025
What contributes to population change in South Dakota?
A state’s population is influenced by three factors:
- Natural population change: If births outnumber deaths in a given year, natural population growth is positive. If deaths exceed births, it is negative. Between 2024 and 2025 natural population change was positive in South Dakota, with births exceeding deaths by 2,600.
- Immigration: international migration directly into or out of a state. If more people move in than move out, population change from immigration is positive. If more people move out than move in, it’s negative. South Dakota’s population change from immigration was positive, with about 3,200 more people coming from another country to South Dakota than leaving.
- Domestic migration, moving between states: South Dakota’s population change from domestic migration was positive, with about 2,200 more people moving to South Dakota from other states than leaving.
Between 2024 and 2025, immigration was the primary driver of population growth in South Dakota.
Components of population change, 2011–2025
Which counties in South Dakota are growing? Which are shrinking?
Among 66 county equivalents, Minnehaha County had the largest population growth in South Dakota, welcoming 3,275 new residents. Meade County lost the most, with a loss of 164 residents. County-level population data is available as of 2025.
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Mellette County led South Dakota in percent population increase between 2024 and 2025 at 4.3 percent. Jackson County ranked last with a 1.8 percent decline.
Between 2024 and 2025, Mellette County gained 4.3% in population, the largest increase in South Dakota.
Population change
How does population change in South Dakota compare to other states?
Between 2015 and 2025, South Dakota’s population has increased by 9.7%. During that same period, the US population grew by 6.2%. South Dakota ranks 15th among states in population growth over that decade.
South Dakota ranked 15th in population growth between 2015 and 2025.
Percent change in population
Population change between 2024 and 2025, by county in South Dakota
| County | Population change rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mellette County, SD | +4.3% |
| 2. | Lincoln County, SD | +2.7% |
| 3. | Lawrence County, SD | +2.6% |
| 4. | Campbell County, SD | +2.5% |
| 5. | Hamlin County, SD | +2.5% |
| 6. | Brookings County, SD | +2.2% |
| 7. | Jones County, SD | +1.7% |
| 8. | Minnehaha County, SD | +1.6% |
| 9. | Harding County, SD | +1.4% |
| 10. | McCook County, SD | +1.4% |
Population change between 2015 and 2025, by state
| State | Population change rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Idaho | +22% |
| 2. | Utah | +17.9% |
| 3. | Florida | +16.5% |
| 4. | Texas | +15.8% |
| 5. | Nevada | +14.9% |
| 6. | South Carolina | +14.8% |
| 7. | Arizona | +13.7% |
| 8. | North Carolina | +12.4% |
| 9. | Delaware | +12.2% |
| 10. | Washington state | +11.4% |
How is the US population changing?
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
