▁anchor ▁is ▁Si oux ▁F alls . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁it ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 2 2 8 , 2 6 1 . ▁ ▁The ▁second - larg est ▁M SA ▁is ▁the ▁Rap id ▁City ▁metropol itan ▁area , ▁which ▁had ▁an ▁estimated ▁population ▁of ▁ 1 2 4 , 7 6 6 ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁The ▁M SA ▁includes ▁the ▁count ies ▁of ▁Pen ning ton ▁and ▁Me ade ▁and ▁is ▁anch ored ▁to ▁Rap id ▁City . ▁▁ 1 0 ▁most ▁popul ous ▁count ies ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁The ▁most ▁popul ous ▁county ▁in ▁South ▁Dak ota ▁is ▁Min neh aha , ▁which ▁has ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 1 7 5 , 0 3 7 ▁residents . ▁The ▁least ▁popul ous ▁county ▁is ▁Jones , ▁with ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁about ▁ 1 , 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁Eth nic ity ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁Census ▁Bureau ▁estimated ▁that ▁ 8 6 . 2 % ▁of ▁South ▁Dak ot ans ▁were ▁White , ▁ 8 . 9 % ▁were ▁American ▁Indian ▁or ▁Al ask an ▁Native , ▁ 3 . 1 % ▁were ▁His pan ic ▁or ▁Lat ino , ▁ 1 . 7 % ▁were ▁Black ▁or ▁African ▁American , ▁ 1 . 1 % ▁were ▁Asian , ▁and ▁ 0 . 1 % ▁were ▁Pacific ▁Island er ▁or ▁Native ▁Hawai ian . ▁ 2 . 1 % ▁of ▁South ▁Dak ot