County Freedom Index

State freedom map

South Dakota Freedom Map

Compare all 66 South Dakota counties for tiny homes, RV living, off-grid living, homesteading, land affordability, solar, broadband, climate, public land, and county-rule research.

County profiles66
Regions7
Verified profiles0
Top score83

Interactive map

Explore South Dakota Counties

Map filters66 countiesUpdates the map below
Aurora County: Freedom Score 64Beadle County: Freedom Score 56Bennett County: Freedom Score 75Bon Homme County: Freedom Score 64Brookings County: Freedom Score 51Brown County: Freedom Score 55Brule County: Freedom Score 66Buffalo County: Freedom Score 68Butte County: Freedom Score 78Campbell County: Freedom Score 63Charles Mix County: Freedom Score 71Clark County: Freedom Score 66Clay County: Freedom Score 51Codington County: Freedom Score 52Corson County: Freedom Score 62Custer County: Freedom Score 59Davison County: Freedom Score 51Day County: Freedom Score 65Deuel County: Freedom Score 69Dewey County: Freedom Score 64Douglas County: Freedom Score 65Edmunds County: Freedom Score 66Fall River County: Freedom Score 69Faulk County: Freedom Score 68Grant County: Freedom Score 56Gregory County: Freedom Score 77Haakon County: Freedom Score 83Hamlin County: Freedom Score 56Hand County: Freedom Score 66Hanson County: Freedom Score 66Harding County: Freedom Score 70Hughes County: Freedom Score 56Hutchinson County: Freedom Score 71Hyde County: Freedom Score 75Jackson County: Freedom Score 81Jerauld County: Freedom Score 76Jones County: Freedom Score 69Kingsbury County: Freedom Score 65Lake County: Freedom Score 57Lawrence County: Freedom Score 46Lincoln County: Freedom Score 31Lyman County: Freedom Score 79Marshall County: Freedom Score 73McCook County: Freedom Score 57McPherson County: Freedom Score 62Meade County: Freedom Score 66Mellette County: Freedom Score 78Miner County: Freedom Score 66Minnehaha County: Freedom Score 31Moody County: Freedom Score 57Oglala Lakota County: Freedom Score 69Pennington County: Freedom Score 44Perkins County: Freedom Score 82Potter County: Freedom Score 70Roberts County: Freedom Score 66Sanborn County: Freedom Score 67Spink County: Freedom Score 64Stanley County: Freedom Score 63Sully County: Freedom Score 69Todd County: Freedom Score 66Tripp County: Freedom Score 83Turner County: Freedom Score 56Union County: Freedom Score 51Walworth County: Freedom Score 68Yankton County: Freedom Score 52Ziebach County: Freedom Score 72
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Expansion state

South Dakota Is Part Of The Shared Freedom Map Platform

A sourced discovery dataset for South Dakota rural land, plains homesteading, RV living, off-grid screening, county-rule research, and low-density land comparison, with county-office confirmation still pending. These pages use the same county template, scoring model, and source-first workflow as Colorado.

View methodology

Rank South Dakota

South Dakota County Rankings

Highest Freedom ScoresBest for Tiny HomesBest for RV LivingBest for Off-Grid LivingCheapest LandBest Solar PotentialBest Public Land Access

Best fit

South Dakota Counties By Lifestyle Goal

Start with a use case, compare the top county-level candidates, then move into parcel-level zoning, water, septic, access, and covenant research.

Tiny

Best For Tiny Home Research

4/5

County-level candidates where tiny-home research starts with stronger alternative-housing scores, rural land context, and source coverage.

Top starts: Haakon, Tripp, Perkins

RV

Best For RV Living Research

4/5

Counties worth comparing for RV occupancy, temporary use, sanitation, access, construction, and covenant questions.

Top starts: Haakon, Tripp, Perkins

Off grid

Best For Off-Grid Living

5/5

Stronger off-grid discovery candidates based on rural density, land affordability, solar, public land, water, septic, and county-rule research.

Top starts: Haakon, Tripp, Perkins

Land

Cheapest Rural Land

100/100

Lower price-per-acre counties that still need practical screening for water, septic, roads, covenants, access, and total development cost.

Top starts: Perkins, Bennett, Haakon

Public

Best Public Land Access

0.9M

Counties with major public-land acreage and recreation signals, balanced against private parcel access and buildability constraints.

Top starts: Pennington, McPherson, Custer

Overall

Highest Freedom Scores

83

The broadest starting point for comparing counties across lifestyle scores, land affordability, taxes, solar, broadband, and public land.

Top starts: Haakon, Tripp, Perkins

Research guides

South Dakota Lifestyle Research Paths

Use these guides to translate county rankings into practical due-diligence checklists for your intended housing and land-use plan.

Best for Tiny HomesBest for RV LivingBest for Off-Grid LivingCheapest LandBest Public Land Access

Browse South Dakota

County Profiles

#1

Haakon County

West River and Badlands

83
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
98
Partially sourced#2

Tripp County

Missouri River and South Central South Dakota

83
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
91
Partially sourced#3

Perkins County

Black Hills and Western South Dakota

82
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
100
Partially sourced#4

Jackson County

West River and Badlands

81
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
92
Partially sourced#5

Lyman County

Missouri River and South Central South Dakota

79
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
84
Partially sourced#6

Butte County

Black Hills and Western South Dakota

78
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
68
Partially sourced#7

Mellette County

West River and Badlands

78
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
94
Partially sourced#8

Gregory County

Missouri River and South Central South Dakota

77
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
93
Partially sourced#9

Jerauld County

Missouri River and South Central South Dakota

76
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
88
Partially sourced#10

Bennett County

West River and Badlands

75
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
100
Partially sourced#11

Hyde County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

75
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
95
Partially sourced#12

Marshall County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

73
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
64
Partially sourced#13

Ziebach County

West River and Badlands

72
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#14

Charles Mix County

Missouri River and South Central South Dakota

71
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
72
Partially sourced#15

Hutchinson County

Southeast South Dakota

71
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
64
Partially sourced#16

Harding County

Black Hills and Western South Dakota

70
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#17

Potter County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

70
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
75
Partially sourced#18

Deuel County

East Central South Dakota

69
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
40
Partially sourced#19

Fall River County

Black Hills and Western South Dakota

69
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#20

Jones County

West River and Badlands

69
Tiny
4/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#21

Oglala Lakota County

West River and Badlands

69
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#22

Sully County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

69
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
55
Partially sourced#23

Buffalo County

Missouri River and South Central South Dakota

68
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#24

Faulk County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

68
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
38
Partially sourced#25

Walworth County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

68
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
50
Partially sourced#26

Sanborn County

Southeast South Dakota

67
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#27

Brule County

Missouri River and South Central South Dakota

66
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#28

Clark County

East Central South Dakota

66
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#29

Edmunds County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

66
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#30

Hand County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

66
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#31

Hanson County

Southeast South Dakota

66
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#32

Meade County

Black Hills and Western South Dakota

66
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#33

Miner County

Southeast South Dakota

66
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#34

Roberts County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

66
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#35

Todd County

West River and Badlands

66
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#36

Day County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

65
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#37

Douglas County

Missouri River and South Central South Dakota

65
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#38

Kingsbury County

East Central South Dakota

65
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#39

Aurora County

Missouri River and South Central South Dakota

64
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#40

Bon Homme County

Southeast South Dakota

64
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
78
Partially sourced#41

Dewey County

West River and Badlands

64
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#42

Spink County

East Central South Dakota

64
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#43

Campbell County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

63
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#44

Stanley County

West River and Badlands

63
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#45

Corson County

West River and Badlands

62
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#46

McPherson County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

62
Tiny
3/5
RV
4/5
Off grid
5/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#47

Custer County

Black Hills and Western South Dakota

59
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#48

Lake County

Southeast South Dakota

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#49

McCook County

Southeast South Dakota

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#50

Moody County

East Central South Dakota

57
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#51

Beadle County

East Central South Dakota

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#52

Grant County

South Dakota

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#53

Hamlin County

East Central South Dakota

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#54

Hughes County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#55

Turner County

Southeast South Dakota

56
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#56

Brown County

North Central and Glacial Lakes

55
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
4/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#57

Codington County

East Central South Dakota

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#58

Yankton County

Southeast South Dakota

52
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#59

Brookings County

East Central South Dakota

51
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#60

Clay County

Southeast South Dakota

51
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#61

Davison County

Southeast South Dakota

51
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#62

Union County

Southeast South Dakota

51
Tiny
3/5
RV
3/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#63

Lawrence County

Black Hills and Western South Dakota

46
Tiny
2/5
RV
2/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#64

Pennington County

Black Hills and Western South Dakota

44
Tiny
2/5
RV
2/5
Off grid
3/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#65

Lincoln County

Southeast South Dakota

31
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced#66

Minnehaha County

Southeast South Dakota

31
Tiny
2/5
RV
1/5
Off grid
1/5
Land
20
Partially sourced

Expansion queue

Future State Datasets

The remaining planned datasets are being evaluated.

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