Bolthole Index

Bolthole Index · South Dakota

Best Places to Live in South Dakota

Every South Dakota county scored on the Bolthole Index for seclusion, self-sufficiency, administrative boringness, durability, property autonomy, and carry cost. Pennington County leads at 68/100. Use the rankings to compare counties by score, factor strength, and local constraints.

Nationally, South Dakota ranks #44 for homesteading and #31 for off-grid living.

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Counties by Index Score

    Off-grid & homestead laws in South Dakota

    How South Dakota treats the things that matter for living off-grid or homesteading. State law also feeds each county’s admin, autonomy, and carry factors; 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. 1Pennington County68
    2. 2Custer County68
    3. 3Lawrence County59
    4. 4Gregory County57
    5. 5Tripp County56
    6. 6Clark County54
    7. 7Kingsbury County52
    8. 8Roberts County52
    9. 9Deuel County52
    10. 10Marshall County52
    11. 11Fall River County51
    12. 12Grant County51
    13. 13Corson County50
    14. 14Miner County50
    15. 15Meade County50
    16. 16Bennett County50
    17. 17Lyman County50
    18. 18Jones County49
    19. 19Beadle County49
    20. 20Davison County49
    21. 21Minnehaha County49
    22. 22Todd County49
    23. 23Charles Mix County48
    24. 24Moody County48
    25. 25Hand County48
    26. 26Butte County48
    27. 27Clay County48
    28. 28Sanborn County48
    29. 29Oglala Lakota County47
    30. 30Lake County47
    31. 31Bon Homme County47
    32. 32Jerauld County47
    33. 33Jackson County47
    34. 34Mellette County46
    35. 35Stanley County46
    36. 36Ziebach County46
    37. 37Hamlin County45
    38. 38Perkins County45
    39. 39Lincoln County44
    40. 40Walworth County44
    41. 41Dewey County44
    42. 42Harding County44
    43. 43Campbell County44
    44. 44Hughes County44
    45. 45Day County44
    46. 46Brule County44
    47. 47Yankton County43
    48. 48Hanson County43
    49. 49Potter County42
    50. 50Brookings County42
    51. 51Sully County42
    52. 52Brown County42
    53. 53Faulk County42
    54. 54Aurora County41
    55. 55Buffalo County41
    56. 56Spink County41
    57. 57Edmunds County41
    58. 58Hyde County41
    59. 59Codington County40
    60. 60Hutchinson County40
    61. 61Douglas County40
    62. 62Turner County40
    63. 63McCook County39
    64. 64Haakon County38
    65. 65Union County38
    66. 66McPherson County33

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