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 Madison, 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 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in South Dakota for 2026? 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 2026
1. Harrisburg
/10
Population: 8,519
Population 2010: 3,559
Percent Growth 139.4%
Absolute Growth: 4,960
More on Harrisburg: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Tea
/10
Population: 6,786
Population 2010: 3,453
Percent Growth 96.5%
Absolute Growth: 3,333
More on Tea: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Box Elder
/10
Population: 12,902
Population 2010: 7,686
Percent Growth 67.9%
Absolute Growth: 5,216
More on Box Elder: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Sioux Falls
/10
Population: 201,469
Population 2010: 148,848
Percent Growth 35.4%
Absolute Growth: 52,621
More on Sioux Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Brandon
/10
Population: 10,996
Population 2010: 8,233
Percent Growth 33.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,763
More on Brandon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Spearfish
/10
Population: 12,930
Population 2010: 10,195
Percent Growth 26.8%
Absolute Growth: 2,735
More on Spearfish: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Huron
/10
Population: 14,385
Population 2010: 12,114
Percent Growth 18.7%
Absolute Growth: 2,271
More on Huron: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Rapid City
/10
Population: 77,946
Population 2010: 66,144
Percent Growth 17.8%
Absolute Growth: 11,802
More on Rapid City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Vermillion
/10
Population: 11,878
Population 2010: 10,517
Percent Growth 12.9%
Absolute Growth: 1,361
More on Vermillion: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Brookings
/10
Population: 23,948
Population 2010: 21,466
Percent Growth 11.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,482
More on Brookings: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Mount Rushmore State for 2026
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 2024)
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 2026. This report is our eleventh 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, Sioux Falls, Brandon, Spearfish, Huron, Rapid City, Vermillion, and Brookings.
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
- Pierre
- 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 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrisburg | 8,519 | 3,559 | 139.4% | 4,960 |
| 2 | Tea | 6,786 | 3,453 | 96.5% | 3,333 |
| 3 | Box Elder | 12,902 | 7,686 | 67.9% | 5,216 |
| 4 | Sioux Falls | 201,469 | 148,848 | 35.4% | 52,621 |
| 5 | Brandon | 10,996 | 8,233 | 33.6% | 2,763 |
| 6 | Spearfish | 12,930 | 10,195 | 26.8% | 2,735 |
| 7 | Huron | 14,385 | 12,114 | 18.7% | 2,271 |
| 8 | Rapid City | 77,946 | 66,144 | 17.8% | 11,802 |
| 9 | Vermillion | 11,878 | 10,517 | 12.9% | 1,361 |
| 10 | Brookings | 23,948 | 21,466 | 11.6% | 2,482 |