Map of South Dakota with Cities, Counties and Roads

West River and the Missouri valley, county by county

Use this detailed map of South Dakota to explore every county, the clearly labeled county seats, principal cities and towns, and the clean road-light network that helps with simple orientation without clutter. The layout favors the county grid first so residents, travelers, and students can follow counties at a glance.

Quick orientation using borders and water

• Neighboring states: North Dakota along the entire north edge, Minnesota and Iowa to the east across the Big Sioux River, Nebraska along the south across the Missouri River, and Wyoming on the west.

• Rivers and lakes for bearings: The Missouri River cuts north–south through the center, backing up into Lake Oahe above Pierre and Lake Sharpe below. In the west, the Cheyenne, Belle Fourche, and White rivers carve broad valleys. These waterways are the easiest way to read the map before glancing at the few interstates.

• Road-light cues only: Keep just three corridors in mind for orientation: I-90 across the state near Wall, Murdo, Mitchell, Sioux Falls; I-29 along the Minnesota and Iowa line through Brookings and Sioux Falls; US-83 down the middle through Pierre and Mission. The map keeps these cues light so counties remain the focus.

Northwest tablelands to the Black Hills

Harding County - Seat: Buffalo. At the far northwest corner on the North Dakota line, Harding is ranch country with open tablelands and small towns like Camp Crook near the Montana corner beyond the map’s frame. The county meets Perkins to the east and Butte to the south.

Perkins County - Seat: Bison. South of the ND line and east of Harding, Perkins shows Lemmon on the state line and small communities like Prairie City. The county’s grid lines point toward Meade and the Black Hills to the south.

Corson County - Seat: McIntosh. Along the ND line east of Perkins, Corson follows the Standing Rock Reservation and the Missouri’s upper arm. McLaughlin appears near the river bend. The county touches Walworth to the south across Lake Oahe.

Campbell County - Seat: Mound City. One of the small river counties south of the ND line. Towns include Herreid near the North Dakota border. The map shows Campbell tucked between Walworth and McPherson.

McPherson County - Seat: Leola. A square block on the ND line east of Campbell with towns like Eureka and Wetonka, then Brown County to the east.

Brown County - Seat: Aberdeen. A major hub in the northeast interior. Aberdeen is a bold label, with Groton, Warner, and Hecla nearby. The James River crosses north–south, a helpful cue between Ipswich in Edmunds to the west and Britton in Marshall to the east.

Marshall County - Seat: Britton. Along the ND line, Marshall includes Lake City and lake chains that step toward Roberts County.

Roberts County - Seat: Sisseton. In the extreme northeast corner on the Minnesota and ND lines. Water features like Big Stone Lake, Traverse, and the Coteau lakescape make it easy to spot. The county pairs with Grant and Codington just south.

West River: from prairie breaks to the Black Hills

Butte County - Seat: Belle Fourche. At the edge of the Black Hills, Belle Fourche sits where the rivers meet. Newell and ranch communities link to Meade and Lawrence.

Lawrence County - Seat: Deadwood. The historic hills county with Lead and Spearfish clustered along the northern Black Hills canyons. The county hugs the Wyoming line.

Meade County - Seat: Sturgis. Huge in area, Meade stretches from Black Hills foothills near Sturgis and Ellsworth AFB east into open prairie. Faith sits on the far plains near the Cheyenne River breaks.

Pennington County - Seat: Rapid City. A large west-central county that spans Rapid City, the Badlands margins, and Mount Rushmore’s approaches in neighboring Custer County. Places like Wall, Box Elder, and Hill City dot the map.

Custer County - Seat: Custer. A Black Hills core county south of Pennington with Custer State Park, Keystone, and granite uplands that roll into Fall River.

Fall River County - Seat: Hot Springs. At the southwest corner on the Nebraska line, Hot Springs is the thermal spa town. The county includes Edgemont and borders Shannon (now Oglala Lakota) to the east.

Shannon County (today Oglala Lakota County) - administrative services handled in Hot Springs. Shown prominently on the map between Bennett and Fall River, the county covers Pine Ridge communities. The map era lists Shannon; modern references use Oglala Lakota.

Jackson County - Seat: Kadoka. From Badlands benches near Interior outward to the White River valley, Jackson sits east of Pennington and north of Bennett.

Bennett County - Seat: Martin. A rectangle on the Nebraska line between Jackson and Todd, with Martin as the center town.

Todd County - administrative services handled in Winner (Tripp County). The map shows Mission and Rosebud communities. Todd lies between Mellette and Tripp on the Nebraska border.

Mellette County - Seat: White River. North of Todd with Wood and the broad White River crossing toward Jones and Lyman.

Tripp County - Seat: Winner. On the Nebraska line, Winner is a bold label along the central southern tier with Colome toward Gregory.

Gregory County - Seat: Burke. Missouri River bluffs and lakeside inlets create a jagged east edge. Bonesteel, Gregory, and Herrick appear toward the river.

Charles Mix County - Seat: Lake Andes. West of Yankton with Wagner, Pickstown near Fort Randall Dam, and the long reach of Lake Francis Case.

Bon Homme County - Seat: Tyndall. North of the Missouri on the Nebraska line, Bon Homme shows Springfield and Tabor with fertile bottomlands.

Yankton County - Seat: Yankton. At the James River mouth where it meets the Missouri. Yankton is an early territorial capital with bridges into Cedar County, Nebraska.

Clay County - Seat: Vermillion. Home to Vermillion and the University of South Dakota. The sharp bend of the Missouri forms the south border.

Union County - Seat: Elk Point. Southeastern tip where the Missouri and Big Sioux rivers converge near Dakota Dunes and the Iowa line.

Missouri River middle counties and Pierre

Stanley County - Seat: Fort Pierre. On the west bank opposite Pierre. The map shows Fort Pierre at the bridges between Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe.

Hughes County - Seat: Pierre (state capital). In the center of the state, Pierre sits below the Oahe dam with Blunt eastward. This is a prime label on the map.

Sully County - Seat: Onida. North of Pierre between the Oahe shoreline and wheat country. Onida is easy to find along the north–south road to Gettysburg.

Potter County - Seat: Gettysburg. North of Sully on the Oahe arm with Hoven and Lebanon inland.

Walworth County - Seat: Selby. Includes Mobridge at the river bridge where Corson meets Campbell and Dewey.

Dewey County - Seat: Timber Lake. Runs along the Cheyenne River Reservation on the west bank of the Missouri.

Ziebach County - Seat: Dupree. One of the most rural counties in the state, sitting west of Dewey and north of Haakon.

Haakon County - Seat: Philip. On both sides of the Cheyenne River west of Jones with Philip as the clear center.

Jones County - Seat: Murdo. A small central rectangle along I-90 mid-state between Lyman and Stanley.

Lyman County - Seat: Kennebec. Missouri River shores, with Oacoma opposite Chamberlain and Presho inland.

Buffalo County - Seat: Gann Valley. One of the least populated counties, on the east bank of the river between Hughes and Brule.

Brule County - Seat: Chamberlain. A major river crossing on the map with Chamberlain and Kimball tied by the bluffs of Lake Francis Case.

Aurora County - Seat: Plankinton. East of Brule with Stickney and farm grid roads toward Davison.

Davison County - Seat: Mitchell. Mitchell is a bold regional center, north of Hanson and Charles Mix.

Hanson County - Seat: Alexandria. Compact square bridging Mitchell and Salem in McCook County.

Douglas County - Seat: Armour. South of Aurora and Davison, near Bridgewater routes to the Missouri.

Hutchinson County - Seat: Olivet. Touches Yankton and Bon Homme, with Parkston, Menno, and Tripp towns.

East River counties, the Big Sioux corridor and Sioux Falls metro

Northeast lakes and Coteau counties

Edmunds County - Seat: Ipswich. West of Brown with Bowdle and Roscoe.

Faulk County - Seat: Faulkton. South of Edmunds with Orient and prairie pothole lakes.

Spink County - Seat: Redfield. Between Huron and Aberdeen with Frankfort and Doland.

Clark County - Seat: Clark. A lakes region county west of Codington and Hamlin.

Day County - Seat: Webster. Dotted with lakes like Waubay and Bitter; borders Marshall and Roberts.

Codington County - Seat: Watertown. A major northeast hub on the Big Sioux River, with Florence and Henry nearby.

Hamlin County - Seat: Hayti. Between Codington and Deuel, with Estelline near the county edge.

Deuel County - Seat: Clear Lake. Touches Minnesota at Gary and Lake Cochrane.

Grant County - Seat: Milbank. On the Minnesota line north of Deuel with Big Stone Lake nearby.

Brookings County - Seat: Brookings. University town anchoring the I-29 corridor, with Volga, Aurora, Elkton.

Kingsbury County - Seat: De Smet. Prairie lakes and homestead country west of Brookings, with Arlington, Lake Preston.

Lake County - Seat: Madison. Between Kingsbury, Miner, and Moody, with Madison on the lakes north of Sioux Falls.

Moody County - Seat: Flandreau. On the Minnesota line north of Minnehaha with Egan and Colman.

James River valley counties

Beadle County - Seat: Huron. An easy label at the James River crossing. Wessington shows at the northwest.

Hand County - Seat: Miller. South of Faulk with a neat grid of townships like Ree Heights.

Hyde County - Seat: Highmore. On the open prairie between the James and Missouri valleys.

Sanborn County - Seat: Woonsocket. South of Beadle with Letcher and lakes toward Jerauld.

Jerauld County - Seat: Wessington Springs. Small and scenic west of Sanborn, north of Aurora.

Miner County - Seat: Howard. East of Sanborn and west of Lake County, a compact square on the valley floor.

McCook County - Seat: Salem. Directly west of Minnehaha, connecting the James valley to Sioux Falls.

Kingsbury, Sanborn, Miner and McCook together create a neat band that leads the eye to the southeast metro.

Sioux Falls metro and the southeast corner

Minnehaha County - Seat: Sioux Falls. The state’s largest city, Sioux Falls, sits along I-29 and the Big Sioux River. Communities like Brandon, Hartford, Dell Rapids, and Tea cluster around the county seat.

Lincoln County - Seat: Canton. Directly south of Minnehaha; includes the growing suburbs Harrisburg, Tea (shared with Minnehaha), and Lennox. The Big Sioux shapes the Iowa border.

Turner County - Seat: Parker. West of Lincoln with Marion, Centerville, and farm towns leading to Hutchinson and Clay.

Clay County - Seat: Vermillion. As noted above, the Missouri’s bend flows past the university town and the bluffs above the river.

Union County - Seat: Elk Point. Southeast tip at the tri-state confluence near Dakota Dunes and North Sioux City.

Central east and lower Missouri counties

Hanson and Davison link Alexandria and Mitchell to the James River. Hutchinson with Olivet and Parkston leads to Yankton on the river. Douglas with Armour connects to Charles Mix and the wide reaches of Fort Randall Lake. Aurora, Brule, Buffalo, Lyman, Stanley, and Hughes wrap the central Missouri corridor already covered above.

How to “read” the map like a local

1. Start with the Missouri River. Follow Lake Oahe from the ND line to Pierre, then Lake Sharpe toward Chamberlain and the Missouri-Nebraska boundary.

2. Use the Big Sioux River to trace the Minnesota and Iowa edges through Watertown, Brookings, Flandreau, Sioux Falls, and North Sioux City.

3. Spot the regional anchors. West River: Rapid City, Sturgis, Spearfish, Custer. Central: Pierre, Chamberlain, Murdo. East River: Huron, Brookings, Watertown, Mitchell, Sioux Falls, Yankton, Vermillion, Watertown, Aberdeen.

4. Keep roads light. The few interstates are there only to orient you: I-90 across, I-29 north–south, US-83 down the middle. Let the county colors and county seat labels do most of the work.

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