Most African American cities in South Dakota research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to analyze South Dakota’s most recent Census data to determine the blackest cities in South Dakota based on the percentage of Black residents. Here are the results of our analysis:
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The city with the largest African American population in South Dakota is Sioux Falls based on the most recent Census data.
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Sioux Falls is 6.63% Black.
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The least African American city in South Dakota is Belle Fourche.
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Belle Fourche is 0.0% Black.
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South Dakota is 2.1% Black.
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South Dakota is the 40th blackest state in the United States.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Black community is one of the fastest-growing communities in America this decade.
Roughly 42 million people identifying as Black or African American live in the United States, making up 12% of the total population. According to the most recent American Community Survey, the Black population in South Dakota is 19,404 – at 2.1% of the total population of South Dakota.
The percentage growth of Blacks in America is the third largest percentage change for any race according to the Census’s race and ethnicity definition. Most scholars and historians agree that increasing diversity in America is a good thing.
We agree.
But how has the increase in the black population impacted South Dakota? Which cities and towns in South Dakota have seen the greatest increase in its Black population?
We broke down the most recent census data to determine the cities in South Dakota with the largest African American population in 2026:
Most African American Places In South Dakota
What’s the blackest city in South Dakota? The city with the largest Black population in South Dakota for 2026 is Sioux Falls. See if Sioux Falls ranked as one of the most african american places in America.
And if you already knew these places were Black, check out the best places to live in South Dakota or the most diverse places in South Dakota.
The 10 Blackest Cities In South Dakota For 2026
1. Sioux Falls
/10
Population: 201,469
% African American: 6.63%
# Of African American Residents: 13,359
Percent Change Since 2010: 158.29%
More on Sioux Falls: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Brandon
/10
Population: 10,996
% African American: 3.38%
# Of African American Residents: 372
Percent Change Since 2010: 2761.54%
More on Brandon: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Box Elder
/10
Population: 12,902
% African American: 2.76%
# Of African American Residents: 356
Percent Change Since 2010: 121.12%
More on Box Elder: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Yankton
/10
Population: 15,540
% African American: 2.23%
# Of African American Residents: 347
Percent Change Since 2010: 27.11%
More on Yankton: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Vermillion
/10
Population: 11,878
% African American: 2.01%
# Of African American Residents: 239
Percent Change Since 2010: 132.04%
More on Vermillion: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Sturgis
/10
Population: 7,086
% African American: 1.91%
# Of African American Residents: 135
Percent Change Since 2010: inf%
More on Sturgis: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Aberdeen
/10
Population: 28,189
% African American: 1.76%
# Of African American Residents: 495
Percent Change Since 2010: 319.49%
More on Aberdeen: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Madison
/10
Population: 6,094
% African American: 1.31%
# Of African American Residents: 80
Percent Change Since 2010: 60.0%
More on Madison: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Rapid City
/10
Population: 77,946
% African American: 1.23%
# Of African American Residents: 955
Percent Change Since 2010: 15.06%
More on Rapid City: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Brookings
/10
Population: 23,948
% African American: 1.22%
# Of African American Residents: 293
Percent Change Since 2010: 109.29%
More on Brookings: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In South Dakota With The Largest Black Population For 2026
We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across South Dakota.
That leads us to the Census’s most recently available data, the 2020-2024 American Community Survey data from the US Census.
Specifically, we looked at table B03002: Hispanic OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:
- Hispanic or Latino
- White alone*
- Black or African American alone*
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone*
- Asian alone*
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone*
- Some other race alone*
- Two or more races*
Our particular column of interest was the number of people who identified as Black or African American.
We limited our analysis to non-CDPs with a population greater than 5,000 people in South Dakota. That left us with 16 cities.
We then calculated the percentage of residents that are Black or African American. The percentages ranked from 6.6% to 0.0%.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percentage of the Black population, with a higher score being more Black than a lower score. Sioux Falls took the distinction of being the most Black, while Belle Fourche was the least African American city.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the cities in South Dakota with the largest African American population.
Read on for more information on how the cities in South Dakota ranked by population of African American residents or, for a more general take on diversity in America, head over to our ranking of the most diverse cities in America.
Summary: Black Populations Across South Dakota
If you’re looking for a breakdown of African American populations across South Dakota according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
The blackest cities in South Dakota are Sioux Falls, Brandon, Box Elder, Yankton, Vermillion, Sturgis, Aberdeen, Madison, Rapid City, and Brookings.
If you’re curious enough, here are the least African American places in South Dakota:
- Belle Fourche
- Pierre
- Spearfish
For more South Dakota reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In South Dakota
- Most Dangerous Cities In South Dakota
- Best Places To Live In South Dakota
African American Population By City In South Dakota
| Rank | City | Population | African American Population | % African American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sioux Falls | 201,469 | 13,359 | 6.63% |
| 2 | Brandon | 10,996 | 372 | 3.38% |
| 3 | Box Elder | 12,902 | 356 | 2.76% |
| 4 | Yankton | 15,540 | 347 | 2.23% |
| 5 | Vermillion | 11,878 | 239 | 2.01% |
| 6 | Sturgis | 7,086 | 135 | 1.91% |
| 7 | Aberdeen | 28,189 | 495 | 1.76% |
| 8 | Madison | 6,094 | 80 | 1.31% |
| 9 | Rapid City | 77,946 | 955 | 1.23% |
| 10 | Brookings | 23,948 | 293 | 1.22% |
| 11 | Huron | 14,385 | 164 | 1.14% |
| 12 | Watertown | 23,044 | 190 | 0.82% |
| 13 | Mitchell | 15,649 | 77 | 0.49% |
| 14 | Spearfish | 12,930 | 25 | 0.19% |
| 15 | Pierre | 13,948 | 6 | 0.04% |
| 16 | Belle Fourche | 5,804 | 0 | 0.0% |
Thanks for the information you that you provided in this article. But I think that it would have been really nice to find out what it is like for the African American’s that live in those cities. Do they have to live in certain areas of the city, how do they feel they are treated by the majority population? Do they feel as if they are looked at as being different because of their race? South Dakota seems like great place to live but if you happen to be an African-American, and wanted to relocate a little more information would be very helpful. Thank you for the information.