countyscore

Best Counties for Families in South Dakota 2026

65 counties ranked by schools, safety, income, and affordability.

Top 5 Family Counties in South Dakota

1Harding County
74.8
2Hand County
72.3
3Hutchinson County
65.7
4Sully County
70
5Miner County
68

All 65 Family-Ranked Counties in South Dakota

RankCountyPersona ScoreOverall Score
1Harding County, SD8174.8
2Hand County, SD7572.3
3Hutchinson County, SD7465.7
4Sully County, SD7370
5Miner County, SD7368
6Potter County, SD7366.2
7Grant County, SD7368.9
8Stanley County, SD7260.1
9Dewey County, SD7154.1
10Deuel County, SD7067.3
11Perkins County, SD6966.3
12Lyman County, SD6759.4
13Jackson County, SD6766.7
14Campbell County, SD6762.9
15Kingsbury County, SD6766.5
16Hanson County, SD6662.2
17Edmunds County, SD6562.8
18Douglas County, SD6561.5
19Aurora County, SD6461.3
20Faulk County, SD6468.8
21Hamlin County, SD6457.1
22Spink County, SD6358.6
23Bon Homme County, SD6361.9
24Gregory County, SD6261.9
25McCook County, SD6258.8
26Turner County, SD6259.3
27Ziebach County, SD6263.9
28Sanborn County, SD6261.6
29Charles Mix County, SD6255.3
30Marshall County, SD6064.5
31Mellette County, SD6051.8
32Jerauld County, SD6065.9
33Day County, SD5960.5
34Haakon County, SD5965.5
35Oglala Lakota County, SD5965.4
36Hyde County, SD5857.4
37McPherson County, SD5860.5
38Roberts County, SD5652.8
39Minnehaha County, SD5549.5
40Todd County, SD5550.4
41Walworth County, SD5450.6
42Union County, SD5451.5
43Jones County, SD5458.8
44Custer County, SD5450.7
45Clark County, SD5363
46Corson County, SD5149
47Tripp County, SD5150.6
48Moody County, SD4950.5
49Brookings County, SD4848.5
50Fall River County, SD4646.6
51Lake County, SD4551
52Brown County, SD4242.5
53Yankton County, SD4242.9
54Brule County, SD4246.4
55Hughes County, SD4142.3
56Butte County, SD4043.5
57Beadle County, SD3943.2
58Davison County, SD3843.3
59Lawrence County, SD3743.9
60Codington County, SD3440.4
61Bennett County, SD3343
62Lincoln County, SD3334.4
63Meade County, SD2834.5
64Clay County, SD2637.1
65Pennington County, SD2327.8

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for families in South Dakota?

Based on our analysis of school quality, safety, income, and cost of living, Harding County ranks as the top family county in South Dakota with a family score of 81.

How many counties in South Dakota are ranked for families?

We rank 65 counties in South Dakota for family suitability, scoring each on school quality (35%), safety (30%), income (20%), and cost of living (15%).

Also Browse South Dakota Counties For

RetirementRemote WorkersBest Overall

Family Rankings by State

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Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.