South Dakota is a big, empty state compared to its neighbors. Our state currently has around 935,000 residents. We're dwarfed by Minnesota's 5.5 million residents and Iowa's 3.2 million. Even to the south, Nebraska has just over two million people living there.

How Fast Is South Dakota Growing?

But South Dakota is growing. Especially in and around the state's largest city, Sioux Falls. In January, the City of Sioux Falls announced that in 2025, we welcomed 5,615 new residents to town. Those new neighbors contributed to a 2.3% growth in population, getting us just shy of a quarter million residents at 224,676.

RELATED: Half of South Dakota’s Population Now Lives in Sioux Falls and Rapid City

What Population Projections Show for 2050

The predictions indicate that South Dakota can expect continued growth in population. According to Visual Capitalist, South Dakota's population is projected to be approximately 1,031,000 by 2050.

Fastest Growing Counties in South Dakota

That growth is anticipated to be the greatest in southeastern South Dakota around Sioux Falls, and in the west near Rapid City. The folks at World Population Review dug into the data to find where this growth is happening across South Dakota.

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