South Dakota elevation
South Dakota runs from 966 ft at Big Stone Lake to 7,242 ft at Harney Peak, with an average of about 2,189 ft.
Highest point: Harney Peak
7,242ft
2,207 m above sea level
Harney Peak, Pennington County · NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Lowest point: Big Stone Lake
- 966 ft (294 m)
- NGVD 29 (the older U.S. vertical datum)
- Source: USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001)
- Average elevation (sampled)
- 2,189 ft (667 m)
- Mean of 224 USGS points about 30 km apart; an estimate, not a published figure.
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
South Dakota places on this site
Cities and towns (USGS, downtown)
- Rapid City3,243 ft
- Pierre1,479 ft
South Dakota elevation facts
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point: Harney Peak | 7,242 ft (2,207 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Lowest point: Big Stone Lake | 966 ft (294 m) | USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) |
| Vertical range | 6,276 ft (1,913 m) | Difference of the two figures above |
| Average elevation (sampled) | 2,189 ft (667 m) | USGS 3DEP, 224 grid points |
| USGS 3DEP value at the high point | 7,225 ft (2,202 m) | USGS 3DEP, within 250 m of the GNIS summit |
| Capital: Pierre | 1,479 ft (451 m) | USGS 3DEP at the city center |
| Land area | 75,808 sq mi (196,342 km²) | Census 2024 boundary file |
Life at 2,189 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for the state's sampled average elevation (2,189 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 92 % of sea level
- Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
- Oxygen calculator
- Home canning
- Above 1,000 ft, USDA processing times and pressure-canner pounds go up.
- Canning adjustments · Baking
Sources: pressure from the U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA, NASA, USAF); boiling point from the Antoine equation for water (Lange's Handbook of Chemistry); canning thresholds from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. Not medical or food-safety advice; follow the tested USDA recipe for your altitude.
City elevations in South Dakota
- Rapid City3,243 ft
- Watertown1,737 ft
- Brookings1,617 ft
- Pierre (capital)1,479 ft
- Sioux Falls1,473 ft
- Aberdeen1,305 ft
Largest places in South Dakota
The five incorporated places by 2024 Census population estimate.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | 1,473 ft (449 m) · pop. 209,289 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Rapid City | 3,243 ft (989 m) · pop. 79,894 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Aberdeen | 1,305 ft (398 m) · pop. 27,919 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Brookings | 1,617 ft (493 m) · pop. 24,555 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
| Watertown | 1,737 ft (530 m) · pop. 23,492 | USGS 3DEP; Census 2024 estimate |
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest point in South Dakota?
Harney Peak at 7,242 ft (2,207 m), from USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001).
What is the lowest point in South Dakota?
Big Stone Lake, at 966 ft, per the USGS Elevations and Distances table (2001).
What is the average elevation of South Dakota?
About 2,189 ft (667 m): the mean of USGS 3DEP elevations at 224 points on a regular grid about 30 km apart inside the state boundary. It is our estimate, not a published figure.
Which South Dakota city on this site is highest?
Rapid City, at 3,243 ft downtown (USGS). The lowest is Pierre at 1,479 ft.
Does altitude affect cooking in South Dakota?
At 2,189 ft, water boils at about 208.0 °F (97.8 °C) and standard air pressure is 27.63 inHg (936 hPa), so each breath holds about 92% of the oxygen it would at sea level. That is for the state's average elevation; check your own town, because South Dakota spans 6,276 ft from lowest to highest.
Sources
- USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) (revised edition 2001) — highest point
- USGS, Elevations and Distances in the United States (highest and lowest elevations) — lowest point
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service (3DEP) — average elevation, city-center values and the high-point check
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files (places, states; 1:500,000) — state boundary and land area
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files (places) — city locations
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 Population Estimates (cities and towns, July 1, 2024) — largest cities by population
- Wikidata (elevation statements that cite a source; the cited source is listed with each value) — state capital name
- U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA/NASA/USAF); water boiling point by the Antoine equation (Lange’s Handbook of Chemistry) — boiling point, air pressure and oxygen
How each number is produced: methodology and data sources.
Every state: US elevation by state · Highest point in each state
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made