There has been a considerable amount of upheaval in the world over the past two years, but things are looking up for South Dakota, especially when it comes to the number of people who call the Mount Rushmore State home.

According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau, South Dakota's population has now pushed above the 900,000 mark for the first time ever.

The April 2022 estimates have 905,404 people living here. That's 18,737 (a little more than two percent) more than the census numbers from 2020 (886,667).

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Sioux Falls continues to lead the way in population with more than 192,000 calling the city home this year, but that number is actually down 550 people from two years ago.

In all, 13 cities in the state now have a population of more than 10,000 people, with Aberdeen showing the biggest growth since 2020, gaining 68 people.

LARGEST CITIES IN SOUTH DAKOTA (difference from 2020) 

  1. Sioux Falls - 192,683 (-550)
  2. Rapid City - 74,194 (-156)
  3. Aberdeen - 28,510 (+68)
  4. Brookings - 23,445 (+15)
  5. Watertown - 22,630 (+17)
  6. Mitchell - 15,701 (+18)
  7. Yankton - 15,443 (+44)
  8. Huron - 14,205 (+5)
  9. Pierre - 14,074 (+51)
  10. Spearfish - 12,189 (-12)
  11. Box Elder - 11,839 (-84)
  12. Vermillion - 11,657 (-21)
  13. Brandon - 10,991 (+5)

At the other end of the spectrum, seven places in South Dakota are home to fewer than ten people.

The smallest of the bunch is Lowry which has a headcount of just five people in the latest census.

According to Wikipedia, it was founded in Walworth County, in North Central South Dakota, in 1907.

Lowry served as a stop on the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway between Conde and LeBeau.

The trains stopped running there in 1940.

SMALLEST CITIES/TOWNS IN SOUTH DAKOTA (April 2020 population)

  • Lowry (Walworth County) - 5
  • Verdon (Brown County) - 6
  • Butler (Day County) - 6
  • Buffalo Chip (Meade County) - 7
  • Akaska (Walworth County) - 8
  • Artas (Campbell County) - 8
  • White Rock (Roberts County) - 8

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