South Dakota is the 46th-most populous U.S. state; in 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated a population of about 884,659. The majority of South Dakotans are White, and the largest religion is Christianity. In 2010, 93.46% of the population spoke English as their primary language.
Population
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2012, South Dakota has an estimated population of 833,354, which is an increase of 2.4% from 2010. Females made up approximately 49.8% of the population. In 2011, 2.4% of the population was foreign born. In the same year, there were 71,125 veterans. The center of population of South Dakota is located in Buffalo County, in the unincorporated county seat of Gann Valley.
Growth and rural flight
South Dakota, in common with five other nearby states (Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and Iowa), is experiencing a trend of falling populations in rural counties. 89% of the total number of cities in these six states have fewer than 3,000 people; hundreds have fewer than 1000. Between 1996 and 2004, almost half a million people, nearly half with college degrees, left the six states. "Rural flight" as it is called has led to offers of free land and tax breaks as enticements to newcomers.
The effect of rural flight has not been spread evenly through South Dakota, however. Although most rural counties and small towns have lost population, the Sioux Falls area and the Black Hills have gained population. In fact, Lincoln County, near Sioux Falls, is the ninth-fastest-growing county (by percentage) in the United States. The growth in these areas has compensated for losses in the rest of the state, and South Dakota's total population continues to increase steadily, albeit at a slower rate than the national average.
Birth data
Note: Births in table don't add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.
Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
Age distribution
7.3% of South Dakota's population was reported as under 5 years of age, 24.5% under 18, and 14.7% were 65 or older.
In 2010, the United States Census Bureau reported that the age distribution amongst South Dakotans was: Under 5 years: 59,621 (7.3%) 5–9 years: 55,531 (6.8%) 10–14 years: 53,960 (6.6%) 15–19 years: 57,628 (7.1%) 20–24 years: 57,596 (7.1%) 25–29 years: 55,570 (6.8%) 30–34 years: 49,859 (6.1%) 35–39 years: 45,766 (5.6%) 40–44 years: 47,346 (5.8%) 45–49 years: 57,519 (7.1%) 50–54 years: 59,399 (7.3%) 55–59 years: 54,231 (6.7%) 60–64 years: 43,573 (5.4%) 65–69 years: 31,944 (3.9%) 70–74 years: 25,683 (3.2%) 75–79 years: 21,724 (2.7%) 80–84 years: 18,004 (2.2%) 85 years and older: 19,226 (2.4%)
The median age was 36.9 years.
Location
The largest metropolitan area (MSA) in South Dakota is the Sioux Falls metropolitan area, which consists of the counties of Lincoln, McCook, Minnehaha, and Turner. Its anchor is Sioux Falls. As of 2010, it had a population of 228,261.
The second-largest MSA is the Rapid City metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 124,766 in 2009. The MSA includes the counties of Pennington and Meade and is anchored to Rapid City.
Top 10 Most Populated Counties in 2019
The most populous county in South Dakota is Minnehaha, which has an estimated 193,134 residents. The least populous county is Jones, with a population of about 903.
Ethnicity
In 2012, the Census Bureau estimated that 86.2% of South Dakotans were White, 8.9% were American Indian or Alaskan Native, 3.1% were Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% were Black or African American, 1.1% were Asian, and 0.1% were Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian. 2.1% of South Dakotans belonged to more than one race.
In 2011, 25.4% of children less than one year old were minorities.
From 2007 to 2011, the American Community Survey estimated that 42.8% (345,951) of South Dakotans were of German ancestry, 14.7% (118,603) were Norwegian, 11.1% (89,912) were Irish, 6.9% (55,425) were English, and 4.9% (39,420) were Dutch.
In the 2000 census, the five largest ancestry groups in South Dakota were: German (40.7%), Norwegian (15.3%), Irish (10.4%), Native American (8.3%), and English (7.1%). German-Americans are the largest ancestry group in most parts of the state, especially in the east, although there are also large Scandinavian populations in some counties.