Best Cities in South Dakota for Schools

Welcome to SchoolDigger, your premier source for city-wide school rankings! Our user-friendly platform focuses on test scores, presenting a transparent, data-driven comparison to help you navigate the educational scene. Explore top-rated cities in South Dakota and make informed decisions for your child's academic future. With our comprehensive database, uncover the best-performing schools within each city, evaluate their performance, and gain valuable insights. Trust SchoolDigger.com to guide you in finding the perfect city for your child's education. Embark on your journey to academic success right here!

Year after year, SchoolDigger is always the first to publish South Dakota test scores and rankings. Other sites use stale test score data that are several years old! Be in the know with the very latest performance metrics.

The list is updated annually upon the release of the test scores by the South Dakota Department of Education. The most recent update was on Thursday, October 30, 2025.

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Rank (of 201)	City	# Elementary Schools	# Middle Schools	# High Schools	# Alt. Schools	# Private Schools*	Rank score (2025)	Rank (2024)	Rank change from 2024
1^st	Hosmer	1	0	0	0	0	0.997		(n/a)
2^nd	Warner	1	1	1	0	0	0.985	2
3^rd	Whitewood	1	0	0	0	0	0.97	8	5
4^th	Ipswich	2	1	1	0	0	0.954	14	10
5^th	Stickney	3	1	1	0	0	0.95		(n/a)
6^th	Lennox	1	2	1	0	0	0.941	7	1
7^th	Midland	1	0	0	0	0	0.93		(n/a)
8^th	Howard	1	1	1	0	0	0.926	17	9
9^th	Lake Preston	1	1	1	0	0	0.922	19	10
10^th	Brandon	2	2	1	0	0	0.913	4	6
11^th	Worthing	1	0	0	0	0	0.903	3	8
12^th	Baltic	1	1	1	0	0	0.872	22	10
13^th	Bridgewater	2	0	0	0	0	0.87	5	8
14^th	Kadoka	1	1	1	0	0	0.868	6	8
15^th	Big Stone City	1	1	0	0	0	0.867		(n/a)
16^th	Forbes	1	0	0	0	0	0.865		(n/a)
17^th	Mount Vernon	1	1	1	0	0	0.864	18	1
18^th	Frankfort	3	0	0	0	0	0.863		(n/a)
19^th	Tea	3	1	1	0	0	0.849	37	18
20^th	Gettysburg	1	1	1	0	0	0.846	9	11
21^st	Volga	1	1	1	0	1	0.83	44	23
22^nd	Montrose	2	1	1	0	0	0.822	28	6
23^rd	Groton	1	1	1	0	0	0.82	21	2
24^th	Timber Lake	1	1	1	0	0	0.82	10	14
25^th	Irene	0	1	1	0	0	0.808	49	24
26^th	Centerville	1	1	1	0	0	0.8	63	37
27^th	Selby	1	1	1	0	0	0.796	50	23
28^th	Humboldt	1	0	0	0	0	0.787	47	19
29^th	Tyndall	2	1	1	0	0	0.784	26	3
30^th	Hayti	1	1	1	0	0	0.779	40	10
31^st	Onida	1	1	1	0	0	0.778	51	20
32^nd	Buffalo	1	1	1	0	0	0.777	83	51
33^rd	North Sioux City	2	1	1	0	0	0.776	20	13
34^th	Dell Rapids	1	1	1	0	2	0.766	25	9
35^th	Platte	2	1	1	0	0	0.762	54	19
36^th	Dewey	1	0	1	0	0	0.747		(n/a)
37^th	Hoven	1	1	1	0	0	0.741	1	36
38^th	Murdo	1	1	1	0	0	0.737	31	7
39^th	Emery	1	1	1	0	0	0.733	68	29
40^th	Wasta	1	0	0	0	0	0.728		(n/a)
41^st	Hitchcock	1	0	0	0	0	0.713	74	33
42^nd	Highmore	1	1	1	0	0	0.713	36	6
43^rd	Hill City	1	1	1	0	0	0.712	61	18
44^th	Pierre	6	1	1	0	1	0.709	29	15
45^th	Canton	1	1	2	0	0	0.7	42	3
46^th	Elk Point	1	1	1	0	0	0.697	64	18
47^th	Webster	1	1	1	0	0	0.696	30	17
48^th	Forestburg	1	1	1	0	0	0.686	73	25
49^th	Hartford	1	1	1	0	0	0.682	81	32
50^th	Piedmont	1	0	0	0	0	0.68	23	27
51^st	Frederick	1	1	1	0	0	0.674	13	38
52^nd	Faulkton	5	1	2	0	0	0.673	39	13
53^rd	Alexandria	3	1	1	0	0	0.673	15	38
54^th	Burke	1	1	2	0	0	0.664	53	1
55^th	Corsica	1	2	2	0	1	0.662	11	44
56^th	Custer	1	1	2	0	0	0.658	24	32
57^th	Yankton	4	2	1	0	3	0.647	72	15
58^th	Summerset	0	1	0	0	0	0.642	80	22
59^th	Mitchell	6	1	3	0	2	0.642	41	18
60^th	Vermillion	2	1	1	0	1	0.638	78	18
61^st	Canistota	1	1	1	0	0	0.625	57	4
62^nd	Lemmon	1	1	1	0	0	0.622	75	13
63^rd	Artesian	1	0	0	0	0	0.609		(n/a)
64^th	Kimball	2	1	2	0	0	0.609	62	2
65^th	Mobridge	2	1	1	0	1	0.609	66	1
66^th	De Smet	1	1	1	0	0	0.604	86	20
67^th	Philip	1	1	1	0	0	0.599	102	35
68^th	Bonesteel	1	0	0	0	0	0.597		(n/a)
69^th	Redfield	1	2	3	0	0	0.596	88	19
70^th	Parkston	2	1	2	0	0	0.594	38	32
71^st	Toronto	1	0	0	0	0	0.593	58	13
72^nd	Alcester	2	1	1	0	0	0.587	124	52
73^rd	Gregory	1	1	1	0	0	0.586	60	13
74^th	Herreid	1	1	1	0	0	0.585	27	47
75^th	Valentine	2	0	0	0	0	0.583		(n/a)
76^th	Hurley	0	1	0	0	0	0.581	123	47
77^th	Sturgis	1	1	1	1	0	0.581	45	32
78^th	Wall	1	1	1	0	0	0.576	70	8
79^th	Freeman	1	1	1	0	1	0.575	46	33
80^th	Ethan	2	1	2	0	0	0.574	12	68
81^st	Brookings	4	1	1	0	1	0.573	94	13
82^nd	Colton	1	1	1	0	0	0.564	79	3
83^rd	Viborg	2	0	1	0	0	0.556	84	1
84^th	Clear Lake	1	1	1	0	0	0.553	56	28
85^th	Harrisburg	2	1	1	0	0	0.549	82	3
86^th	Milbank	2	1	1	0	1	0.546	33	53
87^th	Watertown	5	2	2	0	4	0.543	69	18
88^th	Eureka	1	1	1	0	0	0.538	34	54
89^th	Faith	2	1	1	0	0	0.538	32	57
90^th	Avon	2	1	1	0	0	0.532	91	1
91^st	Spearfish	3	3	3	0	2	0.531	59	32
92^nd	Aberdeen	7	2	4	0	9	0.531	87	5
93^rd	Langford	1	1	1	0	0	0.531	77	16
94^th	Crooks	1	0	0	0	0	0.53		(n/a)
95^th	Chester	1	1	3	0	0	0.53	90	5
96^th	Sioux Falls	37	10	15	4	19	0.529	76	20
97^th	Union Center	2	0	0	0	0	0.529		(n/a)
98^th	Westport	1	0	0	0	0	0.529		(n/a)
99^th	Colome	1	1	1	0	0	0.528	96	3
100^th	Bison	1	1	1	0	0	0.526	97	3
101^st	Armour	1	1	1	0	0	0.521	67	34
102^nd	Newell	1	1	1	0	0	0.518	100	2
103^rd	Beresford	1	1	1	0	0	0.514	95	8
104^th	Plankinton	1	3	3	0	0	0.514	111	7
105^th	Long Valley	1	0	0	0	0	0.512		(n/a)
106^th	Mellette	1	2	2	0	0	0.51	52	54
107^th	Belle Fourche	2	1	2	0	0	0.509	121	14
108^th	Fort Pierre	1	1	1	0	0	0.509	125	17
109^th	Menno	1	1	1	0	0	0.499	99	10
110^th	Hot Springs	1	1	1	0	1	0.494	105	5
111^th	Olivet	2	0	0	0	0	0.492		(n/a)
112^th	Madison	2	1	1	0	2	0.489	71	41
113^th	Presho	0	1	1	0	0	0.484	131	18
114^th	Winfred	2	0	0	0	0	0.474		(n/a)
115^th	Wetonka	1	0	0	0	0	0.467		(n/a)
116^th	Woonsocket	1	0	1	0	0	0.466	110	6
117^th	Arlington	3	1	2	0	0	0.461	16	101
118^th	Tabor	1	0	0	0	0	0.459		(n/a)
119^th	Lead	0	1	1	0	0	0.456	85	34
120^th	Marion	1	1	1	0	0	0.455	101	19
121^st	Colman	1	1	1	0	0	0.45	113	8
122^nd	Lake Andes	2	1	1	0	0	0.447	148	26
123^rd	Deadwood	1	0	0	0	0	0.443	119	4
124^th	Kennebec	1	0	0	0	0	0.44	112	12
125^th	Wolsey	1	1	1	0	0	0.433	117	8
126^th	Willow Lake	2	1	2	0	0	0.431	48	78
127^th	Estelline	1	1	1	0	1	0.43	98	29
128^th	Scotland	3	1	1	0	0	0.426	120	8
129^th	Salem	2	1	1	0	1	0.416	118	11
130^th	Leola	3	1	2	0	0	0.415		(n/a)
131^st	Garretson	1	1	1	0	0	0.412	107	24
132^nd	Parker	1	1	1	0	0	0.409	104	28
133^rd	Roscoe	1	1	1	0	0	0.406	151	18
134^th	Britton	3	1	2	0	0	0.405	89	45
135^th	Hereford	1	0	0	0	0	0.401		(n/a)
136^th	Box Elder	3	1	1	0	0	0.397	108	28
137^th	Castlewood	2	1	1	0	0	0.391	55	82
138^th	Clark	2	1	1	0	0	0.389	126	12
139^th	Raymond	1	0	0	0	0	0.387		(n/a)
140^th	Miller	3	1	1	0	1	0.386	43	97
141^st	White Lake	1	1	1	0	0	0.379	115	26
142^nd	New Underwood	1	1	1	0	0	0.378	106	36
143^rd	Chamberlain	1	1	2	0	1	0.374	103	40
144^th	Rapid City	14	5	4	2	12	0.374	116	28
145^th	Bowdle	2	1	1	0	0	0.368		(n/a)
146^th	White	3	1	1	0	0	0.366	92	54
147^th	Academy	1	0	0	0	0	0.365		(n/a)
148^th	Renner	1	0	0	0	0	0.347	130	18
149^th	Tripp	1	1	1	0	0	0.342		(n/a)
150^th	Gayville	1	1	1	0	0	0.333	129	21
151^st	Tulare	0	1	1	0	0	0.332	114	37
152^nd	Winner	1	1	1	0	0	0.329	127	25
153^rd	Opal	1	0	0	0	0	0.322		(n/a)
154^th	Wakonda	1	0	0	0	0	0.32	135	19
155^th	Waubay	2	1	1	0	0	0.319	65	90
156^th	Wagner	2	1	1	0	0	0.317	109	47
157^th	Black Hawk	1	0	0	0	0	0.317	147	10
158^th	Wilmot	1	1	1	0	0	0.314	144	14
159^th	Doland	2	1	2	0	0	0.31		(n/a)
160^th	Florence	1	1	1	0	0	0.307	128	32
161^st	Elkton	2	1	1	0	0	0.306	132	29
162^nd	Mc Intosh	1	1	1	0	0	0.303	137	25
163^rd	Rosholt	2	1	1	0	0	0.297	122	41
164^th	Edgemont	1	0	1	0	0	0.289	93	71
165^th	Wessington Springs	3	2	2	0	0	0.288	145	20
166^th	Waverly	1	1	1	0	0	0.278	140	26
167^th	Sisseton	1	1	1	0	0	0.262	143	24
168^th	Springfield	1	0	0	0	0	0.257	35	133
169^th	Flandreau	2	1	2	0	0	0.251	139	30
170^th	Rutland	2	1	1	0	0	0.245		(n/a)
171^st	Hermosa	2	1	0	0	0	0.241	136	35
172^nd	Utica	1	0	0	0	0	0.231		(n/a)
173^rd	Milesville	1	0	0	0	0	0.231		(n/a)
174^th	Interior	1	0	0	0	0	0.212		(n/a)
175^th	Wakpala	1	1	1	0	0	0.209	138	37
176^th	Henry	1	1	1	0	0	0.203	146	30
177^th	Huron	6	1	3	0	2	0.201	133	44
178^th	Iroquois	2	2	1	0	1	0.195	141	37
179^th	Nemo	0	0	1	0	0	0.193		(n/a)
180^th	Garden City	1	0	0	0	0	0.181		(n/a)
181^st	O'Kreek	1	0	0	0	0	0.176		(n/a)
182^nd	Crookston	1	0	0	0	0	0.165		(n/a)
183^rd	Delmont	2	0	0	0	0	0.16		(n/a)
184^th	Summit	2	0	1	0	0	0.157	134	50
185^th	Martin	1	1	1	0	0	0.155	142	43
186^th	Dupree	1	1	1	0	0	0.147	150	36
187^th	White River	1	1	1	0	0	0.139	149	38
188^th	Stratford	1	0	0	0	1	0.128		(n/a)
189^th	Oelrichs	1	1	1	0	0	0.103		(n/a)
190^th	Carpenter	2	0	0	0	0	0.093		(n/a)
191^st	Claremont	1	0	0	0	0	0.09		(n/a)
192^nd	Rosebud	1	0	0	0	0	0.073		(n/a)
193^rd	Mc Laughlin	1	1	1	0	0	0.068	154	39
194^th	Norris	1	0	0	0	0	0.067		(n/a)
195^th	Pine Ridge	1	0	1	1	1	0.061		(n/a)
196^th	Parmelee	1	0	0	0	0	0.06	156	40
197^th	Mission	1	2	2	1	1	0.056	152	45
198^th	Batesland	1	0	1	0	0	0.053	155	43
199^th	Eagle Butte	2	2	2	1	1	0.046	153	46
200^th	Porcupine	2	0	0	0	1	0.039		(n/a)
201^st	Saint Francis	1	0	0	1	1	0.005		(n/a)

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About our rankings:

* Private schools are not used in determining city rank.
Schooldigger calculates school rankings based on test scores released by the South Dakota Department of Education.
These rankings were last updated on October 30, 2025, and are based on the most recent test scores available. We update rankings as we receive new test scores from the South Dakota Department of Education, usually on a yearly basis.
Our sources of data include the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education and the South Dakota Department of Education.
For more information about our ranking process, please see our Ranking FAQ. Details about our methodology are here.

Educational resources:

State-Administered Standardized Tests: A Comprehensive Guide

Alternative Schools vs Public Schools: A Comparison

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Dakota Department of Education.