South Dakota Population Boom: When Will We Hit 1 Million People?
More people are calling South Dakota home than ever before. Well, at least in the urban areas like Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Every day people are resettling in the Mount Rushmore state.
In the last official census in 2020, South Dakota had 886,667 folks calling it home. Wikipedia says that the 2023 estimated population is 919,318.
When Can We Expect South Dakota to Enter the Millionaires Club?
Gallery Credit: Ben Kuhns
LOOK: Here's where people in every state are moving to most
Gallery Credit: Amanda Silvestri
LOOK: Where people in South Dakota are moving to most
Gallery Credit: Stacker
From Gold Rush Dreamers To Modern Settlers: South Dakota's Growing Population
That's always been the way South Dakota has operated. In the 19th Century, this part of North America was the destination of dreamers. People looking to change their lives with gold in the Black Hills, people looking to start a new life in a homestead on the plains, and everybody in between made their way here.
That wave of people continued through the 20th Century. Even with a steady boom-bust cycle in various sectors, South Dakota has never lost its allure or population.
The Rise Of South Dakota
The sacred majesty of the Black Hills in the west, the endless beauty of the central plains, and the urban centers in the east together create a special balance of all the things that make life between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River great.
Read More: How South Dakota's 'Black Hills' Got Their Unique Name
The future looks bright for population growth in South Dakota. The healthcare industry is expected to continue to grow, and guess who has two giant healthcare systems? That's right Sioux Falls! And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
It's also reasonable to predict that we could see a steady flow of transplants from parts of the country ravaged by extreme weather over the next few decades.
When Can We Expect South Dakota to Enter the Millionaires Club?
According to the research that I rounded up, there is a pretty good chance that sometime in the early 2030s South Dakota will have a population of a million people.
Maybe we should have a contest like a grocery store in a movie where the millionth resident of SD gets a prize basket. Fill it with cheese and meat cubes. Then balloons can drop from the ceiling when they go and update their driver's license.
It's nearly 2025 as I write this. Our state is on the verge of a population explosion that could rival the 1880's That decade the state's population went from 98,000 in 1880 to 348,600 in 1890.
Read More: Recent Growth Maeans Sioux Falls Has to Install New Population Signs
If your kids are in one of Sioux Falls's fantastic elementary schools right now, when they start graduating in 2035 or so, the auditorium is going to be packed. Oh man, and can you imagine the parking?!
The people are coming, it's good for our state. What better way to revitalize our small town than with a rush of new residents ready to add to The 605's greatness?
We better be getting ready now.