This is less than a one percent fall in Mellette County’s population, from 1,916 in 2020 to 1,908 in 2021.
Mellette County had the 59th largest population in South Dakota in 2021.
The US Census Bureau found more than 73 percent of counties in the US saw a natural decrease in population in 2021. This is up from a 55.5 percent increase in 2020.
The Midwest suffered the most sustained population decreases, with many counties along the US East Coast and through the Rocky Mountains seeing increases.
The US population continues to grow, though at a slower rate than before.
South Dakota Counties By Population Change from 2020 to 2021
| County | 2020 Estimated Population | 2021 Estimated Population | % Change in Population From Year to Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 65,613 | 67,870 | 3.4% |
| Fall River County | 6,964 | 7,202 | 3.4% |
| Custer County | 8,328 | 8,609 | 3.4% |
| Sanborn County | 2,318 | 2,378 | 2.6% |
| Jackson County | 2,810 | 2,878 | 2.4% |
| Pennington County | 109,475 | 111,806 | 2.1% |
| Sully County | 1,446 | 1,476 | 2.1% |
| Butte County | 10,249 | 10,456 | 2% |
| Stanley County | 2,976 | 3,032 | 1.9% |
| Hamlin County | 6,167 | 6,255 | 1.4% |
| Edmunds County | 3,977 | 4,033 | 1.4% |
| Lawrence County | 25,812 | 26,165 | 1.4% |
| Lyman County | 3,714 | 3,764 | 1.3% |
| Hanson County | 3,461 | 3,505 | 1.3% |
| Minnehaha County | 197,511 | 199,685 | 1.1% |
| Meade County | 29,853 | 30,173 | 1.1% |
| Clay County | 14,998 | 15,150 | 1% |
| McPherson County | 2,397 | 2,420 | 1% |
| Brookings County | 34,339 | 34,639 | 0.9% |
| Miner County | 2,294 | 2,314 | 0.9% |
| Harding County | 1,317 | 1,327 | 0.8% |
| McCook County | 5,661 | 5,695 | 0.6% |
| Bennett County | 3,386 | 3,406 | 0.6% |
| Aurora County | 2,733 | 2,748 | 0.5% |
| Bon Homme County | 6,979 | 7,014 | 0.5% |
| Campbell County | 1,374 | 1,380 | 0.4% |
| Faulk County | 2,128 | 2,137 | 0.4% |
| Codington County | 28,309 | 28,427 | 0.4% |
| Turner County | 8,673 | 8,708 | 0.4% |
| Dewey County | 5,226 | 5,246 | 0.4% |
| Yankton County | 23,238 | 23,297 | 0.3% |
| Union County | 16,832 | 16,872 | 0.2% |
| Potter County | 2,471 | 2,475 | 0.2% |
| Clark County | 3,850 | 3,855 | 0.1% |
| Marshall County | 4,300 | 4,304 | 0.1% |
| Hutchinson County | 7,411 | 7,411 | 0% |
| Hughes County | 17,704 | 17,694 | -0.1% |
| Douglas County | 2,824 | 2,821 | -0.1% |
| Beadle County | 19,146 | 19,121 | -0.1% |
| Moody County | 6,324 | 6,315 | -0.1% |
| Grant County | 7,532 | 7,519 | -0.2% |
| Perkins County | 2,824 | 2,819 | -0.2% |
| Day County | 5,425 | 5,414 | -0.2% |
| Brown County | 38,210 | 38,101 | -0.3% |
| Davison County | 19,936 | 19,878 | -0.3% |
| Ziebach County | 2,388 | 2,380 | -0.3% |
| Todd County | 9,319 | 9,286 | -0.4% |
| Kingsbury County | 5,211 | 5,192 | -0.4% |
| Brule County | 5,263 | 5,242 | -0.4% |
| Mellette County | 1,916 | 1,908 | -0.4% |
| Gregory County | 3,994 | 3,977 | -0.4% |
| Corson County | 3,893 | 3,872 | -0.5% |
| Tripp County | 5,601 | 5,569 | -0.6% |
| Deuel County | 4,299 | 4,272 | -0.6% |
| Oglala Lakota County | 13,672 | 13,586 | -0.6% |
| Walworth County | 5,289 | 5,248 | -0.8% |
| Roberts County | 10,257 | 10,163 | -0.9% |
| Buffalo County | 1,944 | 1,923 | -1.1% |
| Spink County | 6,338 | 6,269 | -1.1% |
| Hand County | 3,130 | 3,095 | -1.1% |
| Jerauld County | 1,657 | 1,636 | -1.3% |
| Lake County | 11,010 | 10,851 | -1.4% |
| Hyde County | 1,258 | 1,236 | -1.7% |
| Haakon County | 1,869 | 1,835 | -1.8% |
| Charles Mix County | 9,351 | 9,163 | -2% |
| Jones County | 925 | 879 | -5% |
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