Bolthole · South Dakota

Best Places to Live in South Dakota

Every South Dakota county ranked by BoltScore — for land, water, freedom, and self-sufficiency. Jones County leads at 80/100. No bunkers, no doom — just where the ground is worth standing on.

Nationally, South Dakota ranks #24 for homesteading and #3 for off-grid living.

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South Dakota
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Counties by BoltScore

    Off-grid & homestead laws in South Dakota

    How South Dakota treats the things that matter for living off-grid or homesteading. Scores feed the national rankings; rules often vary by county.

    General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.

    All 66 South Dakota counties, ranked

    1. 1Jones County80
    2. 2Haakon County78
    3. 3Jackson County77
    4. 4Mellette County76
    5. 5Hyde County76
    6. 6Bennett County76
    7. 7Perkins County74
    8. 8Spink County74
    9. 9Lyman County73
    10. 10Sully County73
    11. 11Gregory County73
    12. 12Stanley County73
    13. 13Ziebach County73
    14. 14Campbell County73
    15. 15Faulk County73
    16. 16Hand County72
    17. 17Harding County72
    18. 18Potter County72
    19. 19Buffalo County72
    20. 20Clark County72
    21. 21Tripp County72
    22. 22Walworth County72
    23. 23McPherson County72
    24. 24Oglala Lakota County71
    25. 25Edmunds County71
    26. 26Todd County71
    27. 27Grant County70
    28. 28Douglas County70
    29. 29Hughes County70
    30. 30Sanborn County70
    31. 31Jerauld County69
    32. 32Bon Homme County69
    33. 33Miner County69
    34. 34Butte County69
    35. 35Corson County69
    36. 36Aurora County68
    37. 37Hamlin County68
    38. 38Marshall County68
    39. 39Deuel County67
    40. 40Kingsbury County67
    41. 41Meade County67
    42. 42Hanson County67
    43. 43Beadle County66
    44. 44Roberts County66
    45. 45Day County66
    46. 46Fall River County65
    47. 47Charles Mix County64
    48. 48Clay County64
    49. 49Turner County64
    50. 50Davison County64
    51. 51Dewey County63
    52. 52Hutchinson County63
    53. 53Brule County63
    54. 54Custer County63
    55. 55Moody County63
    56. 56Union County62
    57. 57Brown County62
    58. 58Codington County61
    59. 59Lake County61
    60. 60McCook County60
    61. 61Brookings County59
    62. 62Yankton County58
    63. 63Lawrence County57
    64. 64Pennington County57
    65. 65Lincoln County55
    66. 66Minnehaha County49

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