Families are important to the Treasure State, and HomeSnacks is here to tell you just how important. You can’t have strong families without great infrastructure, so we set out to determine where Montana’s strongest family oriented places are located. And lucky for you, this quest led us to create a list of Montana’s most family friendly places for 2026.
How did we determine Montana’s most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in Big Sky Country with more than 2,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 27 family friendly Montana places. We discovered that Montana is the fourth largest state in the United States, but the eighth least populated. We think that’s all the more reason to have your family live in one of Montana’s family friendly places: there’s plenty of mountain ranges and prairies for your kids to run, and there’s plenty of opportunity to make a difference.
We also determined that there are places in Montana for every type of family. There are hip mommy and daddy towns like Bozeman, cool cowboy/cowgirl towns like Hamilton, and towns like Whitefish for families that like to ski and snowboard. Speaking of family friendly amenities, in Montana, the big sky’s the limit. You can have your family camping in the Kootenai National Forest just outside of Libby and swimming on the Bigfork side of Flathead Lake all in the same weekend. That’s a Montana family win!
To learn more about our methodology and to see why Montana’s top ten best places to raise a family are truly the best of the best, read on.
$90,473 median income · 39.1% households with kids
$81,761 median income · 35.8% households with kids
$110,806 median income · 41.9% households with kids
Located in
Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Brandon is a city in Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States and is the largest suburb of Sioux Falls. Brandon is located five miles east of Sioux Falls. The population was estimated at 9,923 by the United States Census Bureau on July 1, 2016, which was up from 8,785 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$120,139 median income · 64.1% households with kids
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$65,593 median income · 24.1% households with kids
Located in
Lake County, South Dakota
Madison is a city in Lake County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 6,474 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Lake County and is home to Dakota State University.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$78,793 median income · 37.2% households with kids
$48,875 median income · 34.2% households with kids
$49,157 median income · 32.0% households with kids
$119,271 median income · 48.1% households with kids
$63,493 median income · 21.3% households with kids
Located in
Brookings County, South Dakota
Brookings is a city in Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. Brookings is the fourth largest city in South Dakota, with a population of 22,056 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brookings County, and home to South Dakota State University, the largest institution of higher education in the state. Also found in Brookings are the South Dakota Art Museum, the Children’s Museum of South Dakota, the annual Brookings Summer Arts Festival, and the headquarters of a number of manufacturing companies and agricultural operations.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is South Dakota’s statewide median.
South Dakota statewide median: $75,081
South Dakota statewide median: $317,148
On the map
Where South Dakota’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in South Dakota anyways?
To give you the places in South Dakota that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of South Dakota, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 2,000 people. For South Dakota, that meant a total of 27 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in South Dakota.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In South Dakota
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elk Point | 2,537 | $90,473 | $286,244 | 39.1% |
| 2 | Lennox | 2,468 | $81,761 | $319,062 | 35.8% |
| 3 | Brandon | 10,996 | $110,806 | $387,890 | 41.9% |
| 4 | Tea | 6,786 | $120,139 | $381,056 | 64.1% |
| 5 | Madison | 6,094 | $65,593 | $263,104 | 24.1% |
| 6 | Beresford | 2,360 | $78,793 | $323,488 | 37.2% |
| 7 | Sisseton | 2,670 | $48,875 | $134,548 | 34.2% |
| 8 | Flandreau | 2,392 | $49,157 | $215,380 | 32.0% |
| 9 | Summerset | 3,022 | $119,271 | $424,113 | 48.1% |
| 10 | Brookings | 23,948 | $63,493 | $312,178 | 21.3% |
| 11 | Hot Springs | 3,548 | $66,338 | $335,477 | 18.4% |
| 12 | Vermillion | 11,878 | $50,456 | $272,882 | 18.6% |
| 13 | Chamberlain | 2,588 | $76,761 | $249,198 | 26.2% |
| 14 | Lead | 3,006 | $73,047 | $380,311 | 14.6% |
| 15 | Yankton | 15,540 | $67,804 | $270,787 | 25.3% |
| 16 | Spearfish | 12,930 | $65,688 | $456,937 | 21.8% |
| 17 | Pierre | 13,948 | $77,672 | $293,980 | 31.1% |
| 18 | Mobridge | 2,932 | $65,357 | $131,288 | 24.8% |
| 19 | Sioux Falls | 201,469 | $75,970 | $329,723 | 29.3% |
| 20 | Winner | 2,905 | $47,381 | $184,895 | 23.2% |
| 21 | Aberdeen | 28,189 | $64,405 | $240,644 | 27.5% |
| 22 | Mitchell | 15,649 | $58,620 | $247,683 | 22.7% |
| 23 | Watertown | 23,044 | $69,600 | $304,838 | 27.0% |
| 24 | Huron | 14,385 | $61,452 | $171,872 | 31.8% |
| 25 | Box Elder | 12,902 | $73,008 | $367,456 | 42.7% |
| 26 | Belle Fourche | 5,804 | $65,071 | $334,320 | 31.8% |
| 27 | Sturgis | 7,086 | $54,404 | $370,733 | 29.4% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 27 South Dakota cities with more than 2,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In South Dakota
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in South Dakota ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in South Dakota are Elk Point, Lennox, Brandon, Tea, Madison, Beresford, Sisseton, Flandreau, Summerset, and Brookings. Not sold on South Dakota? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Places For Families In South Dakota FAQs
What is the best place to raise a family in South Dakota?
Elk Point is the best place to raise a family in South Dakota for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Lennox and Brandon round out the top three.
What are the best places for families in South Dakota?
The best South Dakota places to raise a family are Elk Point, Lennox, Brandon, Tea, Madison, Beresford, Sisseton, Flandreau, Summerset, and Brookings. We ranked all 27 cities with more than 2,000 residents.
How do you rank family-friendly cities?
Family-friendliness blends low crime, good schools, proximity to a major city, the share of households with kids, and nearby amenities. The city that balances all of it best in South Dakota is Elk Point.
Is Elk Point affordable for families?
The median home in Elk Point costs $286,244 against a median household income of $90,473. Statewide, the median home runs $317,148, so check the gap before you pack the minivan.
What is the toughest place to raise a family in South Dakota?
Sturgis lands at the bottom of the family ranking for South Dakota. Families make it work everywhere, but the crime, school, and income numbers stack against it there.
