South Dakota’s population could reach 1-million by 2030

from South Dakota News Watch story by Stu Whitney

Increasing domestic migration that began during the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the state’s estimated population to just over 900-thousand.  South Dakota could top one-million people by 2030.

South Dakota News Watch reports the growth pattern runs counter to other Midwestern states and highlights the fact that more people are moving to South Dakota than leaving. In addition, women in the state are giving birth at a greater rate than the national average.

Augustana University economics professor David Sorenson calls it a significant growth trend. He published a study showing the state’s population spikes came despite a sharp increase in deaths during the pandemic in 2020- 21.

At one-point-five percent, South Dakota ranked fifth in percentage of population growth among U.S. states for 2021-22.

According to Sorenson, the only states with larger percentage increases were Florida, Idaho, South Carolina and Texas.

Some of the biggest migration gains for South Dakota came from blue states such as California, Colorado and Minnesota.

June 23, 2023