Is being in an area of South Dakota 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 Belle Fourche and Tea, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in South Dakota have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Mount Rushmore State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In South Dakota For 2024
What’s the fastest growing city in South Dakota for 2024? 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 surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in South Dakota grow like weeds.
For more South Dakota state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- 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 2024
1. Harrisburg
/10
Population: 7,157
Population 2010: 3,559
Percent Growth 101.1%
Absolute Growth: 3,598
More on Harrisburg: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
2. Tea
/10
Population: 5,922
Population 2010: 3,453
Percent Growth 71.5%
Absolute Growth: 2,469
More on Tea: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
3. Box Elder
/10
Population: 11,905
Population 2010: 7,686
Percent Growth 54.9%
Absolute Growth: 4,219
More on Box Elder: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
4. Brandon
/10
Population: 10,919
Population 2010: 8,233
Percent Growth 32.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,686
More on Brandon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
5. Sioux Falls
/10
Population: 193,401
Population 2010: 148,848
Percent Growth 29.9%
Absolute Growth: 44,553
More on Sioux Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
6. Spearfish
/10
Population: 12,268
Population 2010: 10,195
Percent Growth 20.3%
Absolute Growth: 2,073
More on Spearfish: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
7. Huron
/10
Population: 14,179
Population 2010: 12,114
Percent Growth 17.0%
Absolute Growth: 2,065
More on Huron: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
8. Rapid City
/10
Population: 75,632
Population 2010: 66,144
Percent Growth 14.3%
Absolute Growth: 9,488
More on Rapid City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
9. Vermillion
/10
Population: 11,667
Population 2010: 10,517
Percent Growth 10.9%
Absolute Growth: 1,150
More on Vermillion: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
10. Aberdeen
/10
Population: 28,388
Population 2010: 25,713
Percent Growth 10.4%
Absolute Growth: 2,675
More on Aberdeen: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Mount Rushmore State for 2024
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since 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 2022)
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]
The data has been updated for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the fastest growing cities in South Dakota.
Here’s a graph of the cities in South Dakota with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: 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.
The fastest-growing cities in South Dakota are Harrisburg, Tea, Box Elder, Brandon, Sioux Falls, Spearfish, Huron, Rapid City, Vermillion, and Aberdeen.
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):
- Madison
- Belle Fourche
- Mitchell
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
Fastest Growing Places In South Dakota For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrisburg | 7,157 | 3,559 | 101.1% | 3,598 |
| 2 | Tea | 5,922 | 3,453 | 71.5% | 2,469 |
| 3 | Box Elder | 11,905 | 7,686 | 54.9% | 4,219 |
| 4 | Brandon | 10,919 | 8,233 | 32.6% | 2,686 |
| 5 | Sioux Falls | 193,401 | 148,848 | 29.9% | 44,553 |
| 6 | Spearfish | 12,268 | 10,195 | 20.3% | 2,073 |
| 7 | Huron | 14,179 | 12,114 | 17.0% | 2,065 |
| 8 | Rapid City | 75,632 | 66,144 | 14.3% | 9,488 |
| 9 | Vermillion | 11,667 | 10,517 | 10.9% | 1,150 |
| 10 | Aberdeen | 28,388 | 25,713 | 10.4% | 2,675 |
