South Dakota, the Coyote State


Land area: 75,898 sq. mi. (16)
Population (2020): 886,667 (46), up 8.90% since 2010
Population density: 11.68 per sq. mi. (46)
U.S. Representatives (2023-32): 1
Entered Union: 2-Nov-1889 (40)

I didn’t see much of anything in South Dakota until I got past Wall Drug. And it wasn’t the ice water that opened my eyes. It was the Badlands. Okay, so you can’t grow crops there, but that makes it even better to look at. Mount Rushmore is impressive, too. In 2010, I finally got to see the still-in-progress Crazy Horse monument a few miles away, just north of Custer. Will it ever be completed? Check this page in about a hundred years ...

No. of Counties I've Visited: 66 of 66

County Pop. (2020)     Latest Visit   County Seat Visited?
Aurora2,74713-Oct-2019Plankinton
Beadle19,1497-Jul-2021Huronyes
Bennett3,3819-Oct-2007Martinyes
Bon Homme7,00325-Aug-2010Tyndall
Brookings34,3758-Jul-2022Brookingsyes
Brown38,3016-Oct-2023Aberdeenyes
Brule5,24713-Oct-2019Chamberlain
Buffalo1,94825-Aug-2010Gann Valleyyes
Butte10,24327-Aug-2010Belle Fourcheyes
Campbell1,3779-Aug-1995Mound Cityyes
Charles Mix9,37325-Aug-2010Lake Andesyes
Clark3,83724-Aug-2010Clark
Clay14,96711-Aug-2005Vermillionyes
Codington28,3258-Jun-2019Watertownyes
Corson3,9027-Oct-2023McIntoshyes
Custer8,31826-Aug-2010Custeryes
Davison19,95613-Oct-2019Mitchellyes
Day5,4496-Oct-2023Websteryes
Deuel4,2958-Jun-2019Clear Lake
Dewey5,23926-Aug-2010Timber Lakeyes
Douglas2,83525-Aug-2010Armour
Edmunds3,9866-Oct-2023Ipswichyes
Fall River6,9739-Oct-2007Hot Springs
Faulk2,12526-Aug-2010Faulkton
Grant7,5566-Oct-2023Milbankyes
Gregory3,99425-Aug-2010Burkeyes
Haakon1,87210-Aug-1995Philipyes
Hamlin6,1648-Jun-2019Hayti
Hand3,1457-Jul-2021Milleryes
Hanson3,46113-Oct-2019Alexandria
Harding1,31126-Aug-2010Buffalo
Hughes17,7658-Jul-2021Pierreyes
Hutchinson7,42725-Aug-2010Olivet
Hyde1,2627-Jul-2021Highmoreyes
Jackson2,80613-Oct-2019Kadokayes
Jerauld1,66325-Aug-2010Wessington Springsyes
Jones91713-Oct-2019Murdoyes
Kingsbury5,18724-Aug-2010DeSmetyes
Lake11,05925-Aug-2010Madisonyes
Lawrence25,76813-Oct-2019Deadwoodyes
Lincoln65,1618-Jun-2019Canton
Lyman3,7188-Jul-2021Kennebecyes
McCook5,68213-Oct-2019Salemyes
McPherson2,41124-Aug-2010Leolayes
Marshall4,30624-Aug-2010Brittonyes
Meade29,85213-Oct-2019Sturgisyes
Mellette1,91825-Aug-2010White Riveryes
Miner2,29824-Aug-2010Howardyes
Minnehaha197,21413-Oct-2019Sioux Fallsyes
Moody6,3368-Jun-2019Flandreau
Oglala Lakota13,6729-Oct-2007
Pennington109,22213-Oct-2019Rapid Cityyes
Perkins2,8357-Oct-2023Bisonyes
Potter2,47226-Aug-2010Gettysburgyes
Roberts10,2806-Oct-2023Sisseton
Sanborn2,33025-Aug-2010Woonsocketyes
Spink6,3617-Jul-2021Redfieldyes
Stanley2,9808-Jul-2021Fort Pierreyes
Sully1,4469-Aug-1995Onidayes
Todd9,3199-Oct-2007
Tripp5,6248-Jul-2021Winneryes
Turner8,67311-Aug-2005Parker
Union16,8118-Jun-2019Elk Point
Walworth5,3157-Oct-2023Selbyyes
Yankton23,31011-Aug-2005Yankton
Ziebach2,41326-Aug-2010Dupree
Note: Neither Oglala Lakota nor Todd county has a seat. Each county is composed entirely of Native American tribal lands.
* Oglala Lakota County was known as Shannon County until March 2015.
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