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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Among the 30 largest places in South Dakota, Dakota Dunes has the largest share of adults with a bachelor's degree (59.8%), followed by Vermillion and Brookings. Click any column to sort; click a city for its guide.
Across the 30 places in South Dakota that we cover, the median is 34.3% and the average 33.0%; the figure runs from 59.8% (Dakota Dunes) to 16.4% (Blackhawk). That is a spread of 3.7 times between the two ends. The state figure is 31.9%; 16 of the 30 places are above it and 14 at or below.
The first five are Dakota Dunes, Vermillion, Brookings, Tea, Harrisburg. A high or low position is not good or bad on its own: read it together with the other measures on the city pages. Use the Compare tab on each city page to see how two places differ across income, rent, commute and education, and check the county page for the local job market.
| # ⇅ | City ⇅ | County ⇅ | Bachelor's degree or higher ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dakota Dunes (unincorporated) | Union County | 59.8% | 3,936 | $136,125 | $1,225 |
| 2 | Vermillion | Clay County | 50.5% | 11,878 | $50,456 | $764 |
| 3 | Brookings | Brookings County | 47.5% | 23,948 | $63,493 | $889 |
| 4 | Tea | Lincoln County | 47.1% | 6,786 | $120,139 | $1,220 |
| 5 | Harrisburg | Lincoln County | 43.8% | 8,519 | $108,724 | $1,362 |
| 6 | Brandon | Minnehaha County | 41.9% | 10,996 | $110,806 | $976 |
| 7 | Spearfish | Lawrence County | 41.8% | 12,930 | $65,688 | $963 |
| 8 | Pierre | Hughes County | 39.0% | 13,948 | $77,672 | $983 |
| 9 | Dell Rapids | Minnehaha County | 38.9% | 3,905 | $100,170 | $962 |
| 10 | Summerset | Meade County | 38.4% | 3,022 | $119,271 | $1,288 |
| 11 | Sioux Falls | Minnehaha County | 38.1% | 201,469 | $75,970 | $1,035 |
| 12 | Rapid City | Pennington County | 37.0% | 77,946 | $70,870 | $1,109 |
| 13 | Aberdeen | Brown County | 35.0% | 28,189 | $64,405 | $762 |
| 14 | Madison | Lake County | 34.4% | 6,094 | $65,593 | $981 |
| 15 | Hartford | Minnehaha County | 34.3% | 3,478 | $99,893 | $938 |
| 16 | Yankton | Yankton County | 33.2% | 15,540 | $67,804 | $790 |
| 17 | Milbank | Grant County | 31.2% | 3,525 | $56,011 | $548 |
| 18 | Mobridge | Walworth County | 29.4% | 2,932 | $65,357 | $953 |
| 19 | Hot Springs | Fall River County | 28.9% | 3,548 | $66,338 | $897 |
| 20 | Box Elder | Pennington County | 28.1% | 12,902 | $73,008 | $1,491 |
| 21 | Huron | Beadle County | 27.0% | 14,385 | $61,452 | $888 |
| 22 | North Sioux City | Union County | 25.8% | 3,045 | $71,908 | $1,098 |
| 23 | Sturgis | Meade County | 24.4% | 7,086 | $54,404 | $780 |
| 24 | Mitchell | Davison County | 23.6% | 15,649 | $58,620 | $851 |
| 25 | Watertown | Codington County | 21.6% | 23,044 | $69,600 | $942 |
| 26 | Lead | Lawrence County | 20.5% | 3,006 | $73,047 | $835 |
| 27 | Rapid Valley (unincorporated) | Pennington County | 19.8% | 6,975 | $83,208 | $1,174 |
| 28 | Belle Fourche | Butte County | 17.1% | 5,804 | $65,071 | $983 |
| 29 | Canton | Lincoln County | 16.9% | 3,033 | $60,850 | $673 |
| 30 | Blackhawk (unincorporated) | Meade County | 16.4% | 2,934 | $71,993 | n/a |
Largest Cities · Cities With the Cheapest Rent · Cities With the Highest Household Income · Cities Where Rent Takes the Smallest Share of Income · Cities With the Lowest Unemployment · Cities in the Highest-Paying Counties · Cities With the Most Homeowners · Cities With the Most Remote Work · Cities With the Shortest Commutes
Unincorporated places are census-designated places: they have no city government but are counted as communities. Figures describe the city itself.
Dakota Dunes, with 59.8% (among the 30 largest places; ACS 2020–2024).
The 30 largest places in South Dakota by population.