Best counties to raise a family in South Dakota

Written by:
September 1, 2023
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Best counties to raise a family in South Dakota

For people looking to find a home to raise a family in, choosing a county is an important decision. Most families place affordable homes, safe neighborhoods, a quality school system, and family-friendly activities at the top of their wish lists.

Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to raise a family in South Dakota using data from Niche. Niche ranks counties based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather.

The list features counties that boast some of the top schools and fun, family-friendly activities for every season. Keep reading to explore the best counties to raise a family. Maybe you'll find one that suits your brood.

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#30. Dewey County, South Dakota

- Population: 5,343
- Median home value: $65,000 (58% own)
- Median rent: $601 (42% own)
- Median household income: $46,087
- Top public schools: Timber Lake Middle School (grade A), Timber Lake Elementary School (grade B+), Timber Lake High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Windswept Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Eagle Butte (grade C+), North Eagle Butte (grade C minus), Timber Lake (grade B+)

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#29. Spink County, South Dakota

- Population: 6,408
- Median home value: $102,000 (77% own)
- Median rent: $625 (23% own)
- Median household income: $63,802
- Top public schools: Northwestern Elementary School (grade B), Doland Elementary School (grade B), Northwestern Middle School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Northville (grade A minus), Northville Township (grade B), Redfield Township (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade B

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#28. Tripp County, South Dakota

- Population: 5,615
- Median home value: $107,700 (72% own)
- Median rent: $691 (28% own)
- Median household income: $52,274
- Top public schools: Colome Elementary School (grade B minus), Winner High School (grade B minus), Winner Middle School (grade C+)
- Top private schools: Winner (grade B minus), Colome (grade B), Lamro Township (grade C+)
- Top places to live: grade B minus

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#27. Grant County, South Dakota

- Population: 7,550
- Median home value: $139,800 (84% own)
- Median rent: $605 (16% own)
- Median household income: $70,483
- Top public schools: Big Stone City Elementary School (grade A minus), Milbank Middle School (grade B), Milbank Elementary School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: St. Lawrence School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Milbank (grade A minus), Big Stone City (grade B), Melrose Township (grade B)

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#26. Meade County, South Dakota

- Population: 29,561
- Median home value: $214,600 (75% own)
- Median rent: $1,002 (25% own)
- Median household income: $68,242
- Top public schools: Sturgis Elementary School (grade B+), Stagebarn Middle School - 10 (grade B), Sturgis Brown High School - 01 (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Summerset (grade B+), Blackhawk (grade B minus), Sturgis (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: grade B minus

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#25. Lawrence County, South Dakota

- Population: 25,687
- Median home value: $237,200 (64% own)
- Median rent: $837 (36% own)
- Median household income: $56,166
- Top public schools: Spearfish High School (grade B), Creekside Elementary School (grade B), Whitewood Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Black Hills Christian Academy (grade unavailable), Black Hills Classical Christian Academy (grade unavailable), Chrildren First (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Spearfish (grade B+), Deadwood (grade B), Lead (grade C+)

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#24. Walworth County, South Dakota

- Population: 5,355
- Median home value: $100,700 (71% own)
- Median rent: $748 (29% own)
- Median household income: $51,746
- Top public schools: Mobridge Upper Elementary School (grade B), Mobridge High School (grade B), Selby Middle School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Mobridge (grade A minus), Selby (grade B minus), Java (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: grade B

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#23. Davison County, South Dakota

- Population: 19,944
- Median home value: $156,600 (63% own)
- Median rent: $735 (37% own)
- Median household income: $50,900
- Top public schools: Ethan Elementary School (grade A minus), Ethan Junior High (grade A minus), Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Mitchell Christian School (grade B+), John Paul II Elementary School (grade unavailable), Abbott House (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Mitchell (grade B), Perry Township (grade B+), Rome Township (grade B minus)

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#22. Roberts County, South Dakota

- Population: 10,254
- Median home value: $114,300 (67% own)
- Median rent: $581 (33% own)
- Median household income: $53,618
- Top public schools: Rosholt Elementary School (grade B), Sisseton High School (grade B minus), Rosholt High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Rosholt (grade B), Sisseton (grade B), Wilmot (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: grade B minus

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#21. Beadle County, South Dakota

- Population: 18,959
- Median home value: $119,700 (69% own)
- Median rent: $726 (31% own)
- Median household income: $56,692
- Top public schools: Hitchcock-Tulare Elementary School (grade B), Wolsey Wessington High School (grade B), Huron High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: James Valley Christian School (grade B), Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Huron (grade B), Valley Township (grade B+), Lake Byron Township (grade B minus)

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#20. Kingsbury County, South Dakota

- Population: 5,131
- Median home value: $124,500 (80% own)
- Median rent: $621 (20% own)
- Median household income: $62,634
- Top public schools: Arlington Elementary School (grade A), Lake Preston Elementary School (grade A minus), Laura Ingalls Wilder Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Sunny Plains Christian School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Lake Preston (grade A minus), De Smet (grade B+), Arlington (grade B)

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#19. Turner County, South Dakota

- Population: 8,621
- Median home value: $148,300 (79% own)
- Median rent: $636 (21% own)
- Median household income: $66,199
- Top public schools: Marion Elementary School (grade B+), Parker Elementary School (grade B), Centerville Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Swan Lake Township (grade B+), Parker Township (grade B), Parker (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade B

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#18. McCook County, South Dakota

- Population: 5,676
- Median home value: $163,900 (81% own)
- Median rent: $644 (19% own)
- Median household income: $72,063
- Top public schools: Canistota Elementary School (grade A), Bridgewater-Emery Elementary School (grade A minus), Canistota Middle School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Salem St. Mary's Elementary School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Grant Township (grade A minus), Canistota (grade B+), Bridgewater Township (grade B+)

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#17. Lake County, South Dakota

- Population: 11,358
- Median home value: $172,700 (72% own)
- Median rent: $753 (28% own)
- Median household income: $67,297
- Top public schools: Rutland Elementary School (grade A minus), Madison Elementary School (grade B+), Chester Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: St. Thomas School (grade unavailable), Madison Christian School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Madison (grade B+), Lake View Township (grade B+), Summit Township (grade B+)

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#16. Yankton County, South Dakota

- Population: 23,213
- Median home value: $166,700 (69% own)
- Median rent: $689 (31% own)
- Median household income: $67,052
- Top public schools: Yankton Middle School - 02 (grade B+), Stewart Elementary School (grade B), Yankton High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Sacred Heart School (grade unavailable), Sacred Heart Middle School - (grade unavailable), Missouri Valley Christian Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Yankton (grade B+), Gayville (grade B), Mission Hill Township (grade B minus)

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#15. Codington County, South Dakota

- Population: 28,289
- Median home value: $181,900 (67% own)
- Median rent: $818 (33% own)
- Median household income: $61,496
- Top public schools: Lincoln Elementary School (grade A minus), Watertown Junior High School (grade B+), Mellette Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Great Plains Lutheran High School (grade B), Immaculate Conception School (grade unavailable), St. Martin's Lutheran School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Watertown (grade B), Kranzburg Township (grade B), Elmira Township (grade B minus)

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#14. Hamlin County, South Dakota

- Population: 6,127
- Median home value: $167,500 (81% own)
- Median rent: $642 (19% own)
- Median household income: $71,923
- Top public schools: Hamlin High School (grade A minus), Castlewood Elementary School (grade B+), Castlewood Junior High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Brantford Township (grade A), Cleveland Township (grade B+), Hayti (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade B

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#13. Day County, South Dakota

- Population: 5,487
- Median home value: $120,700 (76% own)
- Median rent: $549 (24% own)
- Median household income: $52,775
- Top public schools: Webster Area Elementary School (grade A minus), Webster Area Middle School (grade A minus), Webster Area High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Webster (grade B+), Roslyn (grade B), Webster Township (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade B

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#12. Brule County, South Dakota

- Population: 5,247
- Median home value: $162,300 (65% own)
- Median rent: $749 (35% own)
- Median household income: $60,857
- Top public schools: Kimball Elementary School (grade A minus), Chamberlain Elementary School (grade B minus), Chamberlain High School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: St. Joseph Elementary School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Chamberlain (grade B+), Kimball (grade B+), Chamberlain Township (grade B minus)

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#11. Moody County, South Dakota

- Population: 6,335
- Median home value: $163,000 (72% own)
- Median rent: $643 (28% own)
- Median household income: $66,000
- Top public schools: Flandreau High School (grade B), Flandreau Middle School (grade B minus), Flandreau Elementary School (grade C+)
- Top private schools: Flandreau (grade B+), Flandreau Township (grade B), Egan Township (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade B+

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#10. Hutchinson County, South Dakota

- Population: 7,412
- Median home value: $119,700 (77% own)
- Median rent: $612 (23% own)
- Median household income: $62,448
- Top public schools: Parkston Elementary School (grade A minus), Menno Elementary School (grade B+), Freeman High School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Freeman Academy (grade A minus)
- Top places to live: Parkston (grade A minus), Freeman (grade A minus), Wittenberg Township (grade A minus)

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#9. Clay County, South Dakota

- Population: 14,816
- Median home value: $179,000 (54% own)
- Median rent: $725 (46% own)
- Median household income: $56,077
- Top public schools: Vermillion Middle School (grade A minus), Jolley Elementary School (grade B), Vermillion High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: St. Agnes Elementary School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Vermillion (grade A), Meckling Township (grade B+), Norway Township (grade B+)

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#8. Charles Mix County, South Dakota

- Population: 9,346
- Median home value: $135,300 (74% own)
- Median rent: $621 (26% own)
- Median household income: $52,981
- Top public schools: Platte-Geddes Elementary School (grade A), Platte-Geddes Junior High School (grade A minus), Platte-Geddes High School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Highland Township (grade B+), Platte (grade B+), Wagner (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade B+

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#7. Union County, South Dakota

- Population: 16,424
- Median home value: $221,300 (70% own)
- Median rent: $943 (30% own)
- Median household income: $80,238
- Top public schools: Dakota Valley Elementary School (grade A), Elk Point-Jefferson Middle School (grade A minus), Dakota Valley High School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: North Sioux City (grade B), Dakota Dunes (grade A), Big Sioux Township (grade A)
- Top places to live: grade A minus

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#6. Brown County, South Dakota

- Population: 38,471
- Median home value: $170,900 (65% own)
- Median rent: $709 (35% own)
- Median household income: $63,805
- Top public schools: Warner Elementary School (grade A), Warner Middle School (grade A), Frederick Junior High School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Roncalli Junior/Senior High School (grade B+), Aberdeen Christian School - Elementary Campus (grade B+), Roncalli Primary School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Aberdeen (grade B+), Groton (grade A minus), Aberdeen Township (grade B+)

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#5. Brookings County, South Dakota

- Population: 34,315
- Median home value: $201,000 (60% own)
- Median rent: $806 (40% own)
- Median household income: $59,178
- Top public schools: Brookings High School (grade B+), Sioux Valley High School (grade B+), Hillcrest Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Volga Christian School (grade unavailable), Early Learning Center of Brookings managed by Bright Horizons (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Brookings (grade A), Lake Sinai Township (grade A), Medary Township (grade B+)

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#4. Hughes County, South Dakota

- Population: 17,829
- Median home value: $186,600 (71% own)
- Median rent: $810 (29% own)
- Median household income: $77,725
- Top public schools: Blunt Elementary School (grade A), Georgia Morse Middle School (grade B+), T.F. Riggs High School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: St. Joseph Elementary School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Pierre (grade A minus), Blunt (grade B)

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#3. Pennington County, South Dakota

- Population: 108,707
- Median home value: $210,900 (69% own)
- Median rent: $911 (31% own)
- Median household income: $62,546
- Top public schools: Hill City Elementary School (grade A minus), Hill City High School (grade A minus), Wall Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Rapid City Catholic School System (grade A minus), Rapid City Christian School (grade B+), St. Elizabeth Seton School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Rapid City (grade B+), Colonial Pine Hills (grade B+), Box Elder (grade B)

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#2. Lincoln County, South Dakota

- Population: 63,233
- Median home value: $248,600 (74% own)
- Median rent: $1,130 (26% own)
- Median household income: $87,560
- Top public schools: Endeavor Elementary - 07 (grade A minus), Tea Area Elementary School (grade A minus), Harrisburg Middle School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Sioux Falls Christian Schools (grade A minus), Sioux Falls Lutheran School (grade unavailable), Central Baptist Preschool & Kindergarten (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Tea (grade A minus), Harrisburg (grade B+), Canton (grade B)

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#1. Minnehaha County, South Dakota

- Population: 194,884
- Median home value: $214,200 (64% own)
- Median rent: $851 (36% own)
- Median household income: $66,502
- Top public schools: Valley Springs Elementary School (grade A), Brandon Elementary School (grade A), Brandon Valley Intermediate School (grade A)
- Top private schools: O'Gorman High School (grade A minus), Saint Mary Catholic Schools (grade B), Holy Spirit Elementary (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Brandon (grade A), Sioux Falls (grade A minus), Dell Rapids (grade B+)

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