South Dakota Population Demographics

  • Total population: 909,824 (July 1, 2023 estimate), up from 886,667 in 2020 (+2.6%).
  • Land area: 75,811 square miles; population density: 12.0 people per square mile (2023).
  • Age structure (2023 ACS): median age 37.2 years; under 18: 24.6%; 65 and over: 17.0%.
  • Sex (2023 ACS): male 50.3%; female 49.7%.
  • Race and ethnicity (2023 ACS): White alone 82.3%; American Indian/Alaska Native 9.1%; Black 3.0%; Asian 1.6%; Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0.1%; Two or more races 3.3%; Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.9% (shares may not sum to 100 due to overlap and rounding).
  • Urban hubs: Sioux Falls and Rapid City anchor most recent growth, with surrounding counties posting the fastest gains.
  • Insight: South Dakota remains one of the least densely populated U.S. states, with a comparatively young median age and one of the nation’s highest American Indian/Alaska Native population shares.

Important Facts About South Dakota

  • 40th state, admitted November 2, 1889; capital Pierre; 2020 Census population 886,667; area 77,116 sq mi spanning the Great Plains and the Black Hills.
  • Key history: 1876 Black Hills Gold Rush; 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre on Pine Ridge Reservation; Lewis and Clark expedition followed the Missouri River here (1804–1806).
  • Cultural/architectural: Mount Rushmore (completed 1941; four 60‑ft presidential faces; over 2 million visitors annually); Crazy Horse Memorial (begun 1948, ongoing, among the world’s largest mountain carvings); Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (since 1938).
  • Natural features: Badlands National Park’s layered buttes; Black Hills forests; Wind Cave National Park (one of the world’s longest caves); the Missouri River and Lake Oahe (231 miles long; 2,250 miles of shoreline).
  • Economy: Agriculture spans 43 million acres (87% of land), producing corn, soybeans, wheat, cattle, hogs, and sunflowers; 16 ethanol plants have capacity over 1 billion gallons/year; tourism centers on national parks and monuments; Sioux Falls is a national credit‑card banking hub; Ellsworth AFB is the first B‑21 Raider base; the Homestake Mine yielded 40 million troy ounces of gold (1876–2001); no state personal income tax.

South Dakota Email User Demographics

  • Estimated email users in South Dakota: ≈690,000 (≈75% of residents; ≈92% of adults)
  • Age distribution of email users: 13–17 8%; 18–24 13%; 25–44 32%; 45–64 31%; 65+ 16% (skews toward working-age adults)
  • Gender breakdown: ≈50% female, ≈50% male
  • Racial/ethnic composition of email users: White (non-Hispanic) ~79%; American Indian/Alaska Native ~9%; Hispanic/Latino ~5%; Black ~3%; Asian ~1.5%; multiracial/other ~2.5%
  • Population density (context): ~11.7 people per square mile (2020 Census), among the sparsest in the U.S.

Phone Usage Statistics in South Dakota State

  • Population and density: ~910,000 residents; ~11.7 people per square mile.
  • Estimated mobile phone users: ~800,000 (≈88% of residents).
  • Age distribution of users: Under 18 ≈ 18% (≈145k); 18–34 ≈ 24% (≈190k); 35–54 ≈ 28% (≈225k); 55–64 ≈ 12% (≈95k); 65+ ≈ 18% (≈145k).
  • Gender breakdown of users: Male ≈ 51% (≈408k); Female ≈ 49% (≈392k).
  • Racial/ethnic composition of users: White (non-Hispanic) ≈ 80% (≈640k); American Indian/Alaska Native ≈ 9% (≈72k); Hispanic/Latino (any race) ≈ 5% (≈40k); Black ≈ 3% (≈24k); Asian ≈ 1.5% (≈12k); Two or more/Other ≈ 1.5% (≈12k).
  • Insight: Mobile adoption is near-universal among adults in South Dakota, so user demographics closely mirror the state’s overall population profile.

Social Media User Statistics in South Dakota

  • Estimated social media users in South Dakota: ~670,000 (≈72–73% of ~919,000 residents; estimates apply national usage rates to state population).
  • Age distribution of users: 13–17 ≈ 10% (≈65k); 18–29 ≈ 23% (≈155k); 30–49 ≈ 33% (≈220k); 50–64 ≈ 22% (≈145k); 65+ ≈ 13% (≈85k).
  • Gender breakdown: ≈51% female, ≈49% male among users.

Platform user estimates (adults; national usage rates applied to ~700k SD adults):

  • YouTube (Google): ≈580,000 (83% of adults).

  • Facebook: ≈475,000 (68%).

  • Instagram: ≈350,000 (50%).

  • X (Twitter): ≈160,000 (23%).

  • Discord: ≈140,000 (20%).

  • Dating apps (current users, any app): ≈63,000 (9% of adults), including:

    • Tinder: ≈28,000 (≈4% of adults).
    • Bumble: ≈21,000 (≈3% of adults).

  • OnlyFans: ≈28,000 (≈4% of adults).

  • Insights: Facebook and YouTube dominate reach; Instagram is strong among 18–29; Discord skews younger; dating app usage concentrates in 18–34 with men slightly overrepresented; OnlyFans usage is niche relative to major platforms.

Table of Contents

Counties in South Dakota