Best Counties in South Dakota — 2026 Rankings
66 of 66 counties scored across 12 dimensions
66
66 scored
56/100
composite score
72.8/100
28—72.8
lowest to highest
Rankings
Top Counties in South Dakota
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in South Dakota
South Dakota Outperforms the National Average
South Dakota earns a composite livability score of 55.9, placing it significantly ahead of the national median of 50.0. The state maintains this competitive ranking with consistent performance across all 66 of its counties.
High Environmental Safety and Affordability
The state excels in safety with a remarkable risk score of 73.2, indicating very low vulnerability to natural hazards. Residents also enjoy high levels of affordability, evidenced by a strong cost score of 62.9 and a healthy income score of 57.3.
Tax Burdens Impact Overall Scores
The state's primary challenge is its tax score of 34.1, which reflects a higher tax profile relative to other livability dimensions. However, a solid health score of 60.3 helps mitigate these costs and supports the state's overall quality of life.
Harding and Hand Lead the State
Harding County ranks first with a composite score of 74.8, powered by an elite cost score of 86.7. Hand County and Sully County follow closely with scores of 72.3 and 70.0, respectively, offering excellent balances of income and affordability.
A Secure Choice for Pragmatic Families
South Dakota is a premier destination for those prioritizing safety and economic stability over tax incentives. Its blend of high environmental security and strong income potential makes it an excellent fit for families seeking a resilient home base.
All County Rankings in South Dakota
Search, sort, and filter all 66 ranked counties
Showing 1–25 of 66 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buffalo County | 72.8 | 93.2 | 99.3 | 7.9 | 97.5 | 9.6 | N/A | 86.3 | N/A | 36.4 | 52.6 | ||
| 2 | Hand County | 71.9 | 44.1 | 77.7 | 72.6 | 92 | 74.4 | 60.3 | 93.6 | 86 | 40.2 | 66.5 | 58.9 | |
| 3 | Sully County | 71.9 | 47.7 | 59.1 | 67.9 | 93.3 | 86.9 | 70 | 93.7 | 86 | 35.1 | 64.7 | 55.3 | |
| 4 | Harding County | 70.9 | 27.4 | 77.6 | 82 | 97.5 | 68 | 66.3 | 98.5 | 86 | 34.1 | 46 | 49.2 | |
| 5 | Faulk County | 69.5 | 69.2 | 73.8 | 27.4 | 91.7 | 63.1 | 52.3 | 92.1 | 86 | 36.7 | 67.4 | 56.2 | |
| 6 | Miner County | 68.4 | 41.9 | 79.5 | 75.5 | 89.6 | 70.4 | 53.6 | 96.6 | 22.5 | 47 | 73.9 | 61.8 | |
| 7 | Grant County | 67.5 | 42.1 | 65.8 | 73.3 | 97.5 | 73.9 | 53.4 | 81.1 | 44.5 | 40.5 | 63.5 | 58.8 | |
| 8 | Kingsbury County | 67.2 | 35.3 | 72.5 | 71 | 85.5 | 76.7 | 50.4 | 92.2 | 86 | 46.8 | 68 | 59.6 | |
| 9 | Deuel County | 67.1 | 48.9 | 74.1 | 84.7 | 81.4 | 74.5 | 50.3 | 93.2 | 19.4 | 47.6 | 64.6 | 60.5 | |
| 10 | Jackson County | 66.4 | 66.3 | 90.8 | 0.9 | 97.5 | 8.9 | 68.8 | 89.9 | 86 | 31.9 | 39 | ||
| 11 | Jerauld County | 66.2 | 47.4 | 80.8 | 70.4 | 89.5 | 80.7 | 13.9 | 90.5 | 86 | 38.4 | 69.3 | 55.3 | |
| 12 | Oglala Lakota County | 65.9 | 94.8 | 98.4 | 3 | 97.5 | 7.5 | 42 | 50.2 | N/A | 33 | 33.4 | ||
| 13 | Perkins County | 65.6 | 19.3 | 78.3 | 54.1 | 90.7 | 72.7 | 52.2 | 97.4 | 86 | 34.1 | 56 | 51.1 | |
| 14 | Marshall County | 65.2 | 45.4 | 72.5 | 78.9 | 88.3 | 75.4 | 24.5 | 85.6 | 86 | 44.5 | 64.7 | 59.9 | |
| 15 | Hutchinson County | 65.1 | 26.2 | 74.6 | 70.8 | 93.5 | 75.5 | 56.6 | 52.1 | 28.5 | 41.5 | 46.2 | ||
| 16 | Haakon County | 64.8 | 42.5 | 80.3 | 49.8 | 97.5 | 73.9 | 29.1 | 90.3 | 13.4 | 31.9 | 40.8 | 46.5 | |
| 17 | Gregory County | 63.9 | 34 | 92.5 | 42.6 | 86.5 | 37.8 | 53.6 | 83.9 | 86 | 39.5 | 48.2 | 46 | |
| 18 | Ziebach County | 63.7 | 70.2 | 81.4 | 19.3 | 97.5 | 12.8 | 52.8 | 74.8 | 86 | 35.3 | 43.5 | 53.6 | |
| 19 | Potter County | 63.6 | 14.2 | 52.3 | 66.8 | 91.2 | 83 | 64.1 | 90 | 86 | 38.1 | 65.6 | 55.7 | |
| 20 | Douglas County | 63.4 | 36.6 | 58.8 | 87.6 | 97.5 | 69.7 | 30.2 | 89.6 | 86 | 39.4 | 70.7 | 49.9 | |
| 21 | Clark County | 63.1 | 44.8 | 66 | 63.6 | 90.5 | 78.1 | 16.4 | 95.5 | 86 | 45.9 | 65.7 | 57.1 | |
| 22 | Edmunds County | 63.1 | 50.1 | 45.1 | 83.6 | 93.8 | 75.8 | 41 | 93.1 | 38.8 | 41.5 | 68 | 56 | |
| 23 | Campbell County | 62.5 | 24.3 | 73.8 | 59.6 | 91.9 | 69.2 | 45.9 | 95.6 | 17.8 | 36.5 | 60.5 | 53.1 | |
| 24 | Sanborn County | 62.4 | 24.8 | 71.5 | 79.8 | 90.7 | 68.5 | 29.8 | 96.5 | 86 | 36.5 | 56.6 | 52.3 | |
| 25 | Aurora County | 61.7 | 32.8 | 69.6 | 68.8 | 86.3 | 62.9 | 38.5 | 80.4 | 86 | 37.5 | 71.1 | 52.6 |
Buffalo County
Hand County
Sully County
Harding County
Faulk County
Miner County
Grant County
Kingsbury County
Deuel County
Jackson County
Jerauld County
Oglala Lakota County
Perkins County
Marshall County
Hutchinson County
Haakon County
Gregory County
Ziebach County
Potter County
Douglas County
Clark County
Edmunds County
Campbell County
Sanborn County
Aurora County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in South Dakota
Common questions about county rankings and scores in South Dakota.
What is the best county in South Dakota?
Buffalo County is the top-ranked county in South Dakota with a CountyScore of 72.8/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate.
How many counties are ranked in South Dakota?
South Dakota has 66 counties in total. Of those, 66 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to nine baseline data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, and Weather & Climate. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever baseline dimensions have data. Currently available baseline dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in South Dakota?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in South Dakota is 56/100. The national average is 50/100, so South Dakota counties score 6 points above the national average.
How does South Dakota compare to other states?
South Dakota's average county score of 56/100 is 6 points above the national average of 50/100. You can compare South Dakota counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in South Dakota.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.