South Dakota is full of many lovely small towns as well as plenty of thriving cities! When it comes down to pinpointing the best places to live in our state, well, that can be pretty overwhelming. We truly believe that every place is unique and awesome in its own way, but we went ahead and compiled a list of 8 of the places that stood out the most to us.
Note: These towns are not ranked in order. Data was found at city-data.com and bestplaces.net.
- Sioux Falls
Ian Freimuth / Flickr As South Dakota’s largest city and the 47th fastest-growing city in the US, Sioux Falls is certainly an appealing place to live. With a thriving downtown, a diverse economy, and just a 5.5% unemployment rate, it’s no wonder that Sioux Falls made RelocateAmerica’s list of the top 100 best places to live in America.
- Huron
Bruce Wicks / Flickr With an unemployment rate of only 2.9%, this 13,097 population city is thriving. It is also rich with local talent and has many venues that support art exhibits, live music and dance performances. Huron Area Community Theater, a local non-profit organization, consists of local board members, directors, and cast and crews who strive to entertain and enrich the community.
- Hartford
Hartford South Dakota / Facebook The 2,500 community of Hartford is just a short 10-minute commute from Sioux Falls, allowing residents who work and spend time in Sioux Falls to also enjoy the small town life. With many local amenities, a low crime rate, and the future job growth predicted to be 42% in the next ten years, Hartford is a community anyone would be lucky to call home.
- Brookings
Wikimedia Commons Home to South Dakota State University, Brookings is truly a family’s dream community. With a crime rate that is 72% lower than the state’s average and a recreation area that offers camping, horseback riding and fishing opportunists, Brookings is truly every family’s dream town. It’s not surprising that they were ranked No.5 on the 2013 Top 10 Best Small Towns list on Livability.com
- Rapid City
Joe Wolf / Flickr Rapid City is among the best cities for retired residents according to Livability.com Low-health care costs, affordable housing, and plenty of nature parks are all factors that make Rapid City a great place to retire in. Yet its close vicinity to Badlands National Park and Black Hills National Forest, cultural exhibits, and its flourishing economy, make it a great fit for just about anyone.
- Lead
City of Lead / Facebook The community of Lead is home to around 3,100 residents and is loaded with small-town charm. They boast plenty of charming housing, recreational opportunities, attractions and local events. Lead is a truly a wonderful place to live.
- Aberdeen
Wikimedia Commons Aberdeen has a cost of living lower than the state average and an average household income that’s slightly higher. Home to Storybook Land Theater productions, plenty of arts and culture galleries, a popular annual SD film festival, and a nationally recognized theme park, Aberdeen is a city with amenities galore.
- Yankton
J. Stephen Conn / Flickr Located on the Missouri River, Yankton is a city that offers plenty of family-fun and recreational activities. The cost of living is 3.6% lower than the South Dakota average, and their unemployment rate is only at 2.40%. Livability.com named Yankton on the list of Top 100 Best Small Towns in June 2015.
We know that South Dakota is home to more amazing cities and towns. Please feel free to tell us which ones you would have liked to see on the list.
Ian Freimuth / Flickr
As South Dakota’s largest city and the 47th fastest-growing city in the US, Sioux Falls is certainly an appealing place to live. With a thriving downtown, a diverse economy, and just a 5.5% unemployment rate, it’s no wonder that Sioux Falls made RelocateAmerica’s list of the top 100 best places to live in America.
Bruce Wicks / Flickr
With an unemployment rate of only 2.9%, this 13,097 population city is thriving. It is also rich with local talent and has many venues that support art exhibits, live music and dance performances. Huron Area Community Theater, a local non-profit organization, consists of local board members, directors, and cast and crews who strive to entertain and enrich the community.
Hartford South Dakota / Facebook
The 2,500 community of Hartford is just a short 10-minute commute from Sioux Falls, allowing residents who work and spend time in Sioux Falls to also enjoy the small town life. With many local amenities, a low crime rate, and the future job growth predicted to be 42% in the next ten years, Hartford is a community anyone would be lucky to call home.
Wikimedia Commons
Home to South Dakota State University, Brookings is truly a family’s dream community. With a crime rate that is 72% lower than the state’s average and a recreation area that offers camping, horseback riding and fishing opportunists, Brookings is truly every family’s dream town. It’s not surprising that they were ranked No.5 on the 2013 Top 10 Best Small Towns list on Livability.com
Joe Wolf / Flickr
Rapid City is among the best cities for retired residents according to Livability.com Low-health care costs, affordable housing, and plenty of nature parks are all factors that make Rapid City a great place to retire in. Yet its close vicinity to Badlands National Park and Black Hills National Forest, cultural exhibits, and its flourishing economy, make it a great fit for just about anyone.
City of Lead / Facebook
The community of Lead is home to around 3,100 residents and is loaded with small-town charm. They boast plenty of charming housing, recreational opportunities, attractions and local events. Lead is a truly a wonderful place to live.
Aberdeen has a cost of living lower than the state average and an average household income that’s slightly higher. Home to Storybook Land Theater productions, plenty of arts and culture galleries, a popular annual SD film festival, and a nationally recognized theme park, Aberdeen is a city with amenities galore.
J. Stephen Conn / Flickr
Located on the Missouri River, Yankton is a city that offers plenty of family-fun and recreational activities. The cost of living is 3.6% lower than the South Dakota average, and their unemployment rate is only at 2.40%. Livability.com named Yankton on the list of Top 100 Best Small Towns in June 2015.
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