Buyers and sellers of real estate alike—when asked what the three most essential considerations about a property are—will nearly always reply "location, location, location." While this answer is sometimes tongue-in-cheek, it is often quite accurate, and this reply perhaps applies to retirees more than any other demographic. Settling down after a lifetime of working and possibly raising a family calls for the perfect location: a spot where you can enjoy life with as few concerns as possible.
When seniors aged 65 or older decide where they want to live out their golden years, they consider particular factors, such as the cost of living, government services, health care facilities, weather and overall climate, crime rate, outdoor recreational activities, eating establishments, cultural and entertainment opportunities, and more.
To find the best counties to retire to in South Dakota based on these criteria, Stacker compiled a list using 2025 rankings from Niche, which ranks counties based on cost of living, health care access, recreation, weather, and more. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.
While location is critical as retirees determine where to spend their senior years enjoying favorite activities, it's a unique decision based on many preferences and needs. Whether it be bustling downtowns or access to parks, affordable home prices or cultural amenities like museums, retirees seeking to settle in a permanent spot are sure to find a private paradise in any of these counties recommended by Niche because, in the end, there is no place like home—no matter the location.
Read on to discover the best counties to retire to in South Dakota.
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- Niche grades: good for retirees (B-), 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-)
- Niche grades: good for retirees (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 retirees (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 retirees (B-), 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 retirees (B-), 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)
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- Niche grades: good for retirees (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 retirees (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 retirees (B), cost of living (A-), weather (not available), outdoor activities (D)
- Population: 7,024
- Median household income: $61,275
- Median home value: $120,300
- Top places to live: Springfield (B+), Scotland (B), Tyndall (B)
- Niche grades: good for retirees (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 retirees (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+)
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- Niche grades: good for retirees (B), cost of living (A-), weather (C), outdoor activities (C)
- Population: 5,607
- Median household income: $58,854
- Median home value: $137,100
- Top places to live: Winner (B-), Colome (B-), Lamro Township (B-)
- Niche grades: good for retirees (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 retirees (B), cost of living (A), weather (B-), outdoor activities (D-)
- Population: 6,283
- Median household income: $73,011
- Median home value: $117,400
- Top places to live: Northville Township (A), Northville (A-), Redfield (B)
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B), 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 retirees (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)
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- Niche grades: good for retirees (B), 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 retirees (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 retirees (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 retirees (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (not available), 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 retirees (B+), cost of living (B-), weather (A), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 8,686
- Median household income: $81,958
- Median home value: $327,200
- Top places to live: Custer (B+), Hermosa (B-), Pringle (C)
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- Niche grades: good for retirees (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 retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (C), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 7,179
- Median household income: $61,056
- Median home value: $176,300
- Top places to live: Hot Springs (B-), Oelrichs (B), Edgemont (B-)
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), 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 retirees (A-), 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 retirees (A-), 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)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
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