South Dakota Percent Change in Population 1990—2000

Compared to its northern neighbor, the state's population growth rate of 8.5 percent is robust but masks similar trends. Nearly half of the state's counties (32 of 66) lost population, and about half of the state's 315 towns showed no growth or lost population.

About two-thirds of the state's growth (38,500) came from natural increase, and one-third came from net in-migration (20,200). But take away Minnehaha and Lincoln counties (Sioux Falls region), and the state saw a negative net migration of 500 people. In all, only 25 of 66 counties saw positive in-migration.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau