Best Cities for Families in South Dakota

Strong schools, low crime, affordable homes and family-friendly commutes.

Retirees Remote Workers Families Young Professionals Affordability All Rankings →
All United States  ·  South Dakota

How We Score

Each metric is normalized 0-100 across U.S. cities, then weighted and summed. Cities missing any metric are excluded.

Schools · 25% Safety · 20% Home Affordability · 15% Low Poverty · 10% Jobs · 10% Short Commute · 10% Education · 10%

Top 12 Families Cities in South Dakota

Ranked by composite score across 7 weighted metrics.

#1
Score 84.8
Brookings, SD
23,710 residents
Schools 6.2
Safety 85/100K
Home Affordability $243,600
#2
Score 83.3
Madison, SD
6,158 residents
Schools 6.2
Safety 148/100K
Home Affordability $191,400
#3
Score 83
Parkston, SD
1,981 residents
Schools 5.9
Safety 65/100K
Home Affordability $145,500
#4
Score 81.4
Mitchell, SD
15,637 residents
Schools 6.5
Safety 256/100K
Home Affordability $182,000
#5
Score 81.2
Elk Point, SD
2,391 residents
Schools 6.2
Safety 49/100K
Home Affordability $228,400
#6
Score 80.7
Vermillion, SD
11,800 residents
Schools 6.2
Safety 182/100K
Home Affordability $210,200
#7
Score 79.8
Aberdeen, SD
28,297 residents
Schools 6.3
Safety 275/100K
Home Affordability $205,500
#8
Score 79.1
Brandon, SD
10,996 residents
Schools 6.0
Safety 73/100K
Home Affordability $317,300
#9
Score 78.7
Platte, SD
1,310 residents
Schools 5.0
Safety 98/100K
Home Affordability $165,700
#10
Score 78.1
Tea, SD
6,339 residents
Schools 6.1
Safety 137/100K
Home Affordability $305,300
#11
Score 78
Yankton, SD
15,501 residents
Schools 5.9
Safety 274/100K
Home Affordability $202,300
#12
Score 77.9
Canton, SD
3,060 residents
Schools 6.1
Safety 101/100K
Home Affordability $191,000

Full Ranking, South Dakota

Top 33 cities. Click any city to see its full profile.

1 Brookings SD 84.8
2 Madison SD 83.3
3 Parkston SD 83
4 Mitchell SD 81.4
5 Elk Point SD 81.2
6 Vermillion SD 80.7
7 Aberdeen SD 79.8
8 Brandon SD 79.1
9 Platte SD 78.7
10 Tea SD 78.1
11 Yankton SD 78
12 Canton SD 77.9
13 Mobridge SD 77.8
14 Sisseton SD 77.8
15 Lennox SD 77.6
16 Winner SD 77
17 Watertown SD 76.6
18 Lead SD 76.4
19 Flandreau SD 76.3
20 Summerset SD 76
21 Beresford SD 75.6
22 Chamberlain SD 75.4
23 Spearfish SD 75.1
24 Sturgis SD 73
25 Huron SD 72.9
26 Belle Fourche SD 72.3
27 Pierre SD 71.2
28 Hot Springs SD 70.4
29 Sioux Falls SD 70.2
30 Box Elder SD 70.1
31 Clark SD 68.7
32 Wagner SD 64.3
33 Deadwood SD 59.9

Brookings, SD tops the list with a composite score of 84.8 out of 100, followed by Madison and Parkston. SD dominates the top 12 with 12 cities, reflecting strong performance across the weighted metrics for families.

Rankings combine 7 independent metrics: Schools, Safety, Home Affordability, Low Poverty, Jobs, Short Commute, Education. Cities are weighted to reflect what matters most to families, and any city missing one or more metrics is excluded to avoid artificially inflated rankings.

Explore Other Best Cities Rankings

Best Cities for Retirees
Low crime, warm climate, affordable cost of living and strong healthcare access.
Best Cities for Remote Workers
Strong broadband, affordable rent, low traffic and existing remote-work culture.
Best Cities for Young Professionals
High incomes, educated peers, transit access and an under-35 demographic.
Most Affordable Cities
The lowest cost of living across home prices, rent, services and rent burden.

Related Single-Metric Rankings

Safest Cities → Most Affordable → Most Educated →