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. Custer County leads at 70/100. Use the rankings to compare counties by score, factor strength, and local constraints.

Nationally, South Dakota ranks #41 for homesteading and #25 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. 1Custer County70
    2. 2Pennington County67
    3. 3Lawrence County62
    4. 4Gregory County59
    5. 5Tripp County58
    6. 6Clark County57
    7. 7Roberts County55
    8. 8Deuel County55
    9. 9Kingsbury County55
    10. 10Marshall County55
    11. 11Grant County53
    12. 12Corson County52
    13. 13Meade County52
    14. 14Minnehaha County52
    15. 15Davison County52
    16. 16Fall River County52
    17. 17Beadle County52
    18. 18Miner County52
    19. 19Bennett County51
    20. 20Lyman County51
    21. 21Moody County51
    22. 22Todd County51
    23. 23Clay County50
    24. 24Hand County50
    25. 25Jones County50
    26. 26Sanborn County50
    27. 27Charles Mix County50
    28. 28Bon Homme County50
    29. 29Butte County49
    30. 30Lake County49
    31. 31Jerauld County49
    32. 32Jackson County48
    33. 33Hamlin County48
    34. 34Mellette County48
    35. 35Ziebach County47
    36. 36Oglala Lakota County47
    37. 37Perkins County47
    38. 38Lincoln County47
    39. 39Stanley County47
    40. 40Walworth County47
    41. 41Dewey County46
    42. 42Hughes County46
    43. 43Brule County46
    44. 44Day County46
    45. 45Harding County46
    46. 46Campbell County46
    47. 47Yankton County45
    48. 48Hanson County45
    49. 49Brookings County45
    50. 50Brown County44
    51. 51Potter County44
    52. 52Sully County44
    53. 53Spink County44
    54. 54Faulk County44
    55. 55Aurora County44
    56. 56Buffalo County43
    57. 57Codington County43
    58. 58Edmunds County43
    59. 59Hyde County43
    60. 60Hutchinson County43
    61. 61Turner County42
    62. 62Douglas County42
    63. 63McCook County42
    64. 64Union County41
    65. 65Haakon County40
    66. 66McPherson County35

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