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Is being in an area that's growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask. Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Sioux Falls and Rapid City, while others want peace and quiet like in Tea and Belle Fourche, thank you very much.
But today we're going to put opinions aside and just look at the cold hard facts -- over the past five years, which cities in South Dakota have the grown the fastest.
After getting knee deep in the Census's American Community Survey, we emerged with this set of cities in the Mount Rushmore State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
These are the 10 fastest growing cities in South Dakota for 2021 according to the most recent census data:
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In South Dakota For 2021
What's the fastest growing city in South Dakota for 2021? Based on the most recent ACS data, Harrisburg ranks as the fastest growing city in South Dakota. If you happen to be a resident of Harrisburg, you're probably not too surprised to find it on our list.
If you're surprised--and you're wondering why these places are kind of a big deal--keep reading. We'll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in South Dakota are growing like weeds.
And if you already knew these places were happening, check out the best places to live in South Dakota or the Fastest Growing States In America.
For more South Dakota state reading:
- Best Places To Live In South Dakota
- Cheapest Places To Live In South Dakota
- Most Dangerous Cities In South Dakota
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In South Dakota For 2021
1. Harrisburg
/10
Population: 6,087
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Population 2010: 3,559
Percent Growth 71.0%
Absolute Growth: 2,528
More on Harrisburg: Homes For Sale | Data
2. Tea
/10
Population: 5,397
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Population 2010: 3,453
Percent Growth 56.3%
Absolute Growth: 1,944
More on Tea: Homes For Sale | Data
3. Box Elder
/10
Population: 9,683
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Population 2010: 7,686
Percent Growth 26.0%
Absolute Growth: 1,997
More on Box Elder: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
4. Brandon
/10
Population: 9,934
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population 2010: 8,233
Percent Growth 20.7%
Absolute Growth: 1,701
More on Brandon: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
5. Sioux Falls
/10
Population: 177,117
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Population 2010: 148,848
Percent Growth 19.0%
Absolute Growth: 28,269
More on Sioux Falls: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
6. Madison
/10
Population: 7,261
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Population 2010: 6,381
Percent Growth 13.8%
Absolute Growth: 880
More on Madison: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
7. Rapid City
/10
Population: 75,258
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 66,144
Percent Growth 13.8%
Absolute Growth: 9,114
More on Rapid City: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
8. Spearfish
/10
Population: 11,547
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 10,195
Percent Growth 13.3%
Absolute Growth: 1,352
More on Spearfish: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
9. Brookings
/10
Population: 24,108
Rank Last Year: 9 (No Change)
Population 2010: 21,466
Percent Growth 12.3%
Absolute Growth: 2,642
More on Brookings: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
10. Aberdeen
/10
Population: 28,225
Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 25,713
Percent Growth 9.8%
Absolute Growth: 2,512
More on Aberdeen: Homes For Sale | Data | Photos
How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Mount Rushmore State for 2021
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we simply had to look at the growth rates for cities sine the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2018)
We ranked all 18 South Dakota cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest growing city in the Mount Rushmore State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population - Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
Here's a graph of the cities in South Dakota with the largest percent increase in population:
These Places Grew Up So Fast In South Dakota, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in South Dakota are led by Harrisburg which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
It'll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We'll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Belle Fourche
- Vermillion
- Yankton
For more South Dakota reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In South Dakota
- Safest Places In South Dakota
- Worst Places To Live In South Dakota
Detailed List Of Fastest Growing Places In South Dakota For 2021
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrisburg | 71.0% |
| 2 | Tea | 56.3% |
| 3 | Box Elder | 26.0% |
| 4 | Brandon | 20.7% |
| 5 | Sioux Falls | 19.0% |
| 6 | Madison | 13.8% |
| 7 | Rapid City | 13.8% |
| 8 | Spearfish | 13.3% |
| 9 | Brookings | 12.3% |
| 10 | Aberdeen | 9.8% |
