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Best Counties for Retirement in South Dakota 2026

65 counties ranked by health care, safety, tax burden, and affordability.

Top 5 Retirement Counties in South Dakota

1Haakon County
65.5
2Jerauld County
65.9
3Sully County
70
4Grant County
68.9
5Harding County
74.8

All 65 Retirement-Ranked Counties in South Dakota

RankCountyPersona ScoreOverall Score
1Haakon County, SD7765.5
2Jerauld County, SD7665.9
3Sully County, SD7570
4Grant County, SD7568.9
5Harding County, SD7574.8
6Hand County, SD7572.3
7Clark County, SD7363
8Faulk County, SD7368.8
9Marshall County, SD7264.5
10Hanson County, SD7262.2
11Deuel County, SD7267.3
12Hutchinson County, SD7265.7
13Edmunds County, SD7162.8
14Miner County, SD7168
15Kingsbury County, SD7066.5
16Potter County, SD6966.2
17Perkins County, SD6966.3
18Bon Homme County, SD6861.9
19Douglas County, SD6861.5
20Campbell County, SD6762.9
21Sanborn County, SD6761.6
22Hyde County, SD6657.4
23Turner County, SD6659.3
24Day County, SD6660.5
25McPherson County, SD6660.5
26Oglala Lakota County, SD6565.4
27Aurora County, SD6461.3
28Spink County, SD6458.6
29McCook County, SD6358.8
30Jones County, SD6358.8
31Hamlin County, SD6257.1
32Minnehaha County, SD6249.5
33Lake County, SD6251
34Ziebach County, SD6163.9
35Stanley County, SD6060.1
36Union County, SD5951.5
37Gregory County, SD5961.9
38Buffalo County, SD5865.9
39Moody County, SD5750.5
40Roberts County, SD5552.8
41Fall River County, SD5546.6
42Brookings County, SD5548.5
43Walworth County, SD5450.6
44Custer County, SD5350.7
45Tripp County, SD5350.6
46Charles Mix County, SD5255.3
47Butte County, SD5243.5
48Lawrence County, SD5043.9
49Beadle County, SD4943.2
50Lyman County, SD4959.4
51Brule County, SD4846.4
52Brown County, SD4842.5
53Mellette County, SD4851.8
54Todd County, SD4850.4
55Codington County, SD4740.4
56Dewey County, SD4654.1
57Yankton County, SD4542.9
58Corson County, SD4449
59Meade County, SD4334.5
60Hughes County, SD4342.3
61Clay County, SD4237.1
62Davison County, SD4143.3
63Lincoln County, SD4034.4
64Bennett County, SD3443
65Pennington County, SD3227.8

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for retirement in South Dakota?

Based on our analysis of health care access, safety, property taxes, and cost of living, Haakon County ranks as the top retirement county in South Dakota with a retirement score of 77.

How many counties in South Dakota are ranked for retirement?

We rank 65 counties in South Dakota for retirement suitability, scoring each on health care access (35%), safety (30%), property tax (20%), and cost of living (15%).

Also Browse South Dakota Counties For

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Retirement 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.