Best counties to raise a family in South Dakota

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B-), cost of living (B+), weather (C), outdoor activities (C-)
- Population: 8,772
- Median household income: $75,283
- Median home value: $199,000
- Top places to live: Middleton Township (A-), Centerville (B+), Viborg (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B-), cost of living (B+), weather (C), outdoor activities (C-)
- Population: 11,052
- Median household income: $73,792
- Median home value: $231,000
- Top places to live: Madison (B+), Summit Township (A), Nunda Township (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (C+), cost of living (B+), weather (C), outdoor activities (C-)
- Population: 5,732
- Median household income: $80,847
- Median home value: $217,300
- Top places to live: Grant Township (A-), Bridgewater Township (A-), Montrose (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B), cost of living (A-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (C-)
- Population: 7,544
- Median household income: $73,818
- Median home value: $179,400
- Top places to live: Milbank (A-), Melrose Township (B+), Stockholm (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B+), cost of living (B), weather (C), outdoor activities (C+)
- Population: 28,556
- Median household income: $65,080
- Median home value: $218,000
- Top places to live: Watertown (B+), Fuller Township (B), Kranzburg Township (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B), cost of living (B-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 26,574
- Median household income: $66,766
- Median home value: $310,800
- Top places to live: Spearfish (B+), Deadwood (B-), Lead (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B-), cost of living (B+), weather (C+), outdoor activities (C+)
- Population: 23,379
- Median household income: $73,855
- Median home value: $208,200
- Top places to live: Yankton (B+), Mission Hill (B-), Turkey Valley Township (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (C+), cost of living (B+), weather (C+), outdoor activities (D-)
- Population: 19,279
- Median household income: $63,082
- Median home value: $178,400
- Top places to live: Huron (B), Valley Township (A-), Wessington (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (C+), cost of living (A-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (C)
- Population: 10,219
- Median household income: $63,691
- Median home value: $139,100
- Top places to live: Rosholt (B), Sisseton (B), Geneseo Township (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B-), cost of living (A-), weather (C), outdoor activities (C)
- Population: 7,393
- Median household income: $74,459
- Median home value: $160,500
- Top places to live: Parkston (A-), Molan Township (A-), Wittenberg Township (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B), cost of living (B+), weather (unavailable), outdoor activities (D+)
- Population: 5,298
- Median household income: $62,722
- Median home value: $130,000
- Top places to live: Mobridge (A), Java (B-), Selby (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B), cost of living (B+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (C-)
- Population: 6,288
- Median household income: $83,194
- Median home value: $207,700
- Top places to live: Brantford Township (A), Hayti (B+), Norden Township (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (A), cost of living (B+), weather (C), outdoor activities (C-)
- Population: 19,936
- Median household income: $61,401
- Median home value: $190,000
- Top places to live: Mitchell (B+), Prosper Township (B+), Mount Vernon (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B-), cost of living (B), weather (B-), outdoor activities (C+)
- Population: 15,133
- Median household income: $58,794
- Median home value: $221,800
- Top places to live: Vermillion (A-), Vermillion Township (A), Meckling Township (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B+), cost of living (A-), weather (C), outdoor activities (C+)
- Population: 5,460
- Median household income: $62,270
- Median home value: $155,100
- Top places to live: Webster Township (B+), Webster (B+), Waubay (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B-), cost of living (B), weather (B-), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 16,916
- Median household income: $84,137
- Median home value: $269,500
- Top places to live: Dakota Dunes (A), North Sioux City (A-), Big Sioux Township (A)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B-), cost of living (B), weather (C+), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 34,968
- Median household income: $67,341
- Median home value: $246,300
- Top places to live: Brookings (A-), Brookings Township (A-), Medary Township (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B-), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 112,081
- Median household income: $70,768
- Median home value: $270,400
- Top places to live: Rapid City (B+), Rapid Valley (B), Box Elder (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B-), cost of living (A-), weather (C+), outdoor activities (C-)
- Population: 6,371
- Median household income: $77,500
- Median home value: $206,300
- Top places to live: Flandreau Township (A-), Egan Township (B+), Flandreau (B+)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (C), outdoor activities (C+)
- Population: 38,079
- Median household income: $70,239
- Median home value: $212,900
- Top places to live: Aberdeen (B+), Groton (A), Ordway Township (A-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (A-), weather (C), outdoor activities (C)
- Population: 9,281
- Median household income: $64,850
- Median home value: $169,200
- Top places to live: Platte (A-), Geddes (B+), Pickstown (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (A-), cost of living (B), weather (C), outdoor activities (C-)
- Population: 17,732
- Median household income: $78,981
- Median home value: $221,100
- Top places to live: Pierre (B+), Blunt (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B), cost of living (A-), weather (C), outdoor activities (C+)
- Population: 5,261
- Median household income: $74,043
- Median home value: $205,500
- Top places to live: Chamberlain (A-), Kimball (B+), Pukwana (B-)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 68,286
- Median household income: $96,552
- Median home value: $323,500
- Top places to live: Tea (A-), Harrisburg (B+), Canton (B)

- Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (B), weather (C), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 200,689
- Median household income: $76,074
- Median home value: $266,600
- Top places to live: Brandon (A), Sioux Falls (A-), Dell Rapids (A-)