Homesteading in South Dakota
Explore 66 counties and state-level regulations for homesteaders in South Dakota.
South Dakota uses a Prior Appropriation water rights system , allows county-level building code enforcement , and has constitutional carry. The effective property tax rate is 1.08%.
State Regulations
Water Rights
System: Prior Appropriation
Prior appropriation doctrine. Water rights acquired through DENR permit process. Domestic use up to 18 gallons per minute exempt.
Statute: S.D. Codified Laws § 46-1-1 et seq.
Building Codes
Statewide IRC: No (county-level)
No mandatory statewide residential building code. Municipalities may adopt codes. Most rural areas have no building codes.
Statute: S.D. Codified Laws § 11-10-1 et seq.
Gun Laws
Open Carry: Yes
Constitutional Carry: Yes
Permitless concealed carry for persons 18 and older effective 2019. Open carry legal without a permit.
Statute: S.D. Codified Laws § 22-14-9; S.D. Codified Laws § 23-7-7
Right to Farm
Protected: Yes
Protects agricultural operations from nuisance suits if the operation has been in existence for at least two years and was not a nuisance when it began.
Statute: S.D. Codified Laws § 21-10-25.1 et seq.
Counties in South Dakota
66 counties · Click column headers to sort
| County | Population | Median Home | Property Tax | Growing Days | Overall Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora County | 2,590 | $120,800 | $1,352 | 66 | Very Low |
| Beadle County | 19,089 | $152,100 | $1,769 | 64 | Relatively Low |
| Bennett County | 3,391 | $128,100 | $1,421 | 68 | Very Low |
| Bon Homme County | 7,018 | $112,700 | $1,470 | 69 | Very Low |
| Brookings County | 34,631 | $227,800 | $2,662 | 64 | Relatively Low |
| Brown County | 38,278 | $200,400 | $2,498 | 59 | Relatively Low |
| Brule County | 5,247 | $187,900 | $1,685 | 66 | Relatively Low |
| Buffalo County | 1,859 | $103,800 | $576 | 65 | Very Low |
| Butte County | 10,369 | $189,000 | $1,996 | 62 | Very Low |
| Campbell County | 1,534 | $80,300 | $1,233 | 59 | Very Low |
| Charles Mix County | 9,302 | $163,200 | $1,658 | 68 | Relatively Low |
| Clark County | 3,837 | $135,500 | $1,287 | 62 | Very Low |
| Clay County | 14,953 | $209,300 | $2,717 | 69 | Very Low |
| Codington County | 28,402 | $206,600 | $2,290 | 62 | Relatively Low |
| Corson County | 3,906 | $76,000 | $898 | 59 | Very Low |
| Custer County | 8,515 | $294,700 | $2,439 | 66 | Very Low |
| Davison County | 19,966 | $178,100 | $2,288 | 66 | Very Low |
| Day County | 5,485 | $134,800 | $1,485 | 60 | Very Low |
| Deuel County | 4,298 | $178,100 | $1,473 | 62 | Very Low |
| Dewey County | 5,275 | $74,800 | $1,008 | 61 | Relatively Low |
| Douglas County | 2,823 | $120,900 | $1,337 | 67 | Very Low |
| Edmunds County | 4,014 | $142,300 | $1,335 | 60 | Very Low |
| Fall River County | 7,079 | $158,500 | $1,759 | 68 | Very Low |
| Faulk County | 2,140 | $115,300 | $944 | 61 | Very Low |
| Grant County | 7,533 | $168,500 | $1,673 | 61 | Very Low |
| Gregory County | 3,983 | $109,100 | $1,371 | 68 | Very Low |
| Haakon County | 1,755 | $139,200 | $1,006 | 64 | Very Low |
| Hamlin County | 6,196 | $181,800 | $2,090 | 63 | Very Low |
| Hand County | 3,075 | $150,000 | $1,219 | 63 | Very Low |
| Hanson County | 3,443 | $171,300 | $1,858 | 66 | Very Low |
| Harding County | 1,176 | $128,300 | $1,538 | 59 | Very Low |
| Hughes County | 17,812 | $216,500 | $2,462 | 64 | Very Low |
| Hutchinson County | 7,401 | $143,800 | $1,734 | 68 | Relatively Low |
| Hyde County | 1,319 | $97,300 | $1,472 | 63 | Very Low |
| Jackson County | 2,838 | $108,400 | $640 | 66 | Very Low |
| Jerauld County | 1,836 | $117,600 | $1,118 | 65 | Very Low |
| Jones County | 1,006 | $99,000 | $900 | 65 | Very Low |
| Kingsbury County | 5,172 | $149,300 | $1,500 | 64 | Very Low |
| Lake County | 11,207 | $196,600 | $2,333 | 65 | Very Low |
| Lawrence County | 26,047 | $267,900 | $2,605 | 64 | Relatively Low |
| Lincoln County | 65,801 | $292,200 | $3,651 | 68 | Relatively Low |
| Lyman County | 3,719 | $132,100 | $1,552 | 65 | Very Low |
| McCook County | 5,714 | $186,100 | $1,927 | 66 | Relatively Low |
| McPherson County | 2,251 | $77,900 | $1,104 | 59 | Very Low |
| Marshall County | 4,363 | $141,100 | $1,340 | 59 | Very Low |
| Meade County | 29,970 | $252,300 | $2,746 | 63 | Relatively Low |
| Mellette County | 1,989 | $60,700 | $984 | 67 | Very Low |
| Miner County | 2,312 | $93,900 | $1,189 | 65 | Very Low |
| Minnehaha County | 197,742 | $246,200 | $2,940 | 66 | Relatively Moderate |
| Moody County | 6,346 | $194,000 | $2,194 | 65 | Very Low |
| Oglala Lakota County | 13,695 | $46,700 | -- | 68 | Relatively Low |
| Pennington County | 110,386 | $247,800 | $2,916 | 65 | Relatively Low |
| Perkins County | 2,970 | $108,900 | $1,378 | 60 | Very Low |
| Potter County | 2,587 | $129,800 | $1,558 | 61 | Very Low |
| Roberts County | 10,242 | $127,800 | $1,372 | 59 | Very Low |
| Sanborn County | 2,373 | $128,800 | $1,615 | 65 | Very Low |
| Spink County | 6,355 | $108,200 | $1,434 | 62 | Very Low |
| Stanley County | 2,979 | $170,400 | $2,348 | 64 | Very Low |
| Sully County | 1,318 | $190,800 | $1,575 | 62 | Very Low |
| Todd County | 9,353 | $40,500 | $1,006 | 68 | Very Low |
| Tripp County | 5,607 | $128,100 | $1,270 | 68 | Very Low |
| Turner County | 8,687 | $175,300 | $1,936 | 68 | Very Low |
| Union County | 16,700 | $254,900 | $2,880 | 69 | Very Low |
| Walworth County | 5,317 | $115,900 | $1,775 | 60 | Very Low |
| Yankton County | 23,311 | $190,400 | $2,165 | 69 | Relatively Low |
| Ziebach County | 2,455 | $93,000 | $535 | 62 | Very Low |
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