South Dakota county rankings
Best counties in South Dakota to live
We scored 36 counties with 5,000+ residents on home affordability, unemployment, education, population growth and total crime per 100,000 people.
| # | County | Score | Home value | Income | Unemployment | Crime /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kingsbury County | 71 | $159,600 | $70,221 | 1.3% | 152 |
| 2 | Lincoln County | 69 | $323,500 | $96,552 | 1.6% | 868 |
| 3 | Hamlin County | 68 | $207,700 | $83,194 | 1.8% | 296 |
| 4 | Spink County | 68 | $117,400 | $73,011 | 1.6% | 198 |
| 5 | Turner County | 64 | $199,000 | $75,283 | 1.3% | — |
| 6 | McCook County | 63 | $217,300 | $80,847 | 1.7% | 207 |
| 7 | Brule County | 61 | $205,500 | $74,043 | 1.6% | — |
| 8 | Bon Homme County | 60 | $120,300 | $61,275 | 2.2% | 111 |
| 9 | Custer County | 58 | $327,200 | $81,958 | 2.0% | 448 |
| 10 | Moody County | 58 | $206,300 | $77,500 | 3.1% | 334 |
| 11 | Hutchinson County | 57 | $160,500 | $74,459 | 2.0% | — |
| 12 | Tripp County | 55 | $137,100 | $58,854 | 1.6% | 539 |
| 13 | Fall River County | 53 | $176,300 | $61,056 | 3.5% | 161 |
| 14 | Hughes County | 53 | $221,100 | $78,981 | 0.6% | 2,042 |
| 15 | Union County | 52 | $269,500 | $84,137 | 3.5% | 727 |
Also see: Where to move in South Dakota
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023); FBI Crime Data Explorer county agency totals. "—" means no reporting data.
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See the full Smart Movers Club report on South Dakota