5 4 . ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁South ▁Dak ot ans ▁are ▁White , ▁and ▁the ▁largest ▁religion ▁is ▁Christian ity . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁ 9 3 . 4 6 % ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁spoke ▁English ▁as ▁their ▁primary ▁language . ▁ ▁Population ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Census ▁Bureau , ▁as ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁South ▁Dak ota ▁has ▁an ▁estimated ▁population ▁of ▁ 8 3 3 , 3 5 4 , ▁which ▁is ▁an ▁increase ▁of ▁ 2 . 4 % ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁Fem ales ▁made ▁up ▁approximately ▁ 4 9 . 8 % ▁of ▁the ▁population . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁ 2 . 4 % ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁was ▁foreign ▁born . ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁there ▁were ▁ 7 1 , 1 2 5 ▁veter ans . ▁The ▁center ▁of ▁population ▁of ▁South ▁Dak ota ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁Buff alo ▁County , ▁in ▁the ▁un in cor por ated ▁county ▁seat ▁of ▁G ann ▁Valley . ▁ ▁G row th ▁and ▁rural ▁flight ▁ ▁South ▁Dak ota , ▁in ▁common ▁with ▁five ▁other ▁nearby ▁states ▁( N eb r aska , ▁Kansas , ▁Oklahoma , ▁North ▁Dak ota , ▁and ▁Iowa ), ▁is ▁experien cing ▁a ▁tr end ▁of ▁falling ▁populations ▁in ▁rural ▁count ies . ▁ 8 9 % ▁of ▁the ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁cities ▁in ▁these ▁six ▁states ▁have ▁fewer ▁than ▁ 3 , 0 0 0