South Dakota Cities (Sioux Falls: suburbs, move, population)

[MJ1986]

you just seem to put people down, here in the forum... my apologies if i offended you.

"Any way besides rapid and sioux falls name 1 city that has the up on watertown"

I'm not sure what that means...

and I said,
"but nothing spectacular compared to other SD cities"

[Business101]

Mj, no offence taken, this is all fun right, Honetly here is how I see the future top 5 cities..
#1...Sioux Falls
#2...Rapid City
#3...Watertown
#4...Brookings
#5...Mitchell

REASON WHY? well sioux falls will always be the largest and most likely rapid will always be #2...But here is the deal....In my opinion as south dakota grows we know the rural empties out, From watertown to brookings down to sioux falls and then to mitchell...FORMS A backwords L, along I29 to I90......This is where the population boom has occured and will continue to occur.........Aberdeen, huron, and pierre are basically out in the sticks now......You might not agree but you will have to debate the statistics,Since 2000 huron has lost another 9% in population and aberdeen some 3%...Pierre is basically even......MORE facts...any thoughts welcome..Heck thats why I signed up, I was looking for feedback...Great thread reguarding cities shifting places in the top 20......thank you

[Chris19]

I agree that Sioux Falls and Rapid City will keep their one and two spots respectively. I think that Aberdeen may slide to a number four or five position 20-30 years down the road (even if it reverses its slowly declining population trends of the past 35 or so years and grows with an expansion in business and economy).

Watertown is close to the interstate and is almost halfway between Sioux Falls and Fargo and is fairly progressive and may grow at a faster rate than Aberdeen.

I think that if SDSU expands and with Brookings' close proximity to Sioux Falls, Brookings has the potential of going from a city of 19,000 or so to one of over 30,000.

I do not forsee Mitchell outgrowing Aberdeen until 20-30 years down the road. Mitchell has the close proximity to Sioux Falls and has a lot of potential. With its recent issues, it is maybe a hiccup.

I think that Yankton and Pierre will grow steadily and am not sure about Huron. Vermillion will be the same or grow a little with USD growing itself and may grow significantly if the refinery goes in. If there is more progressive leadership, Vermillion can grow and blossom more and still find ways to preserve its character.

I forsee Spearfish, Brandon, and possibly Tea and Harrisburg move into the top ten cities. Spearfish and Brandon would do it in the next five to ten years and Tea and Harrisburg in the next 20 years. They may displace Vermillion and Huron easily and eventually Yankton and Pierre.

[Jammie]

IMHO Sioux Falls will probably remain the largest city in the state for years to come. It has a good economy, good shopping, and is a clean, pretty city.

I haven't done any research into the towns so I don't have a well thought-through list like the rest of you have.

My prediction is that the booming area will be out in the Black Hills. The economy there will finally be picking up and they'll soon be having ample employment opportunities. I think that has been the only thing holding that area back. Seriously, we have many nice areas over here and many nice towns, but we really can't compete with the beauty of the Hills area. (Not that this should be a competition~we're all from the same state) They have milder winters and yet have snow for people who like to ski and snowmobile. It's just a very desirable area. When people come to vacation in our state, the east and central areas have a few things to offer and many people stop as they pass through. But their actual destination is generally the Black Hills.

[MJ1986]

I agree, Jammie...it's a very desirable area.. i know quite a few people who have retired there...they got a large acreage, with a nice home.

[DannyBanany]

Many people who vacation to the Black Hills end up moving here later or at least having a second home here. The Black Hills' population triples during the summer and with the influx of new jobs it looks like the population will increase even more. This can be a positive thing or a negative thing. I am sure most people will see it as a little bit of both.

For an example, many Coloradoans sought refuge from incoming Californians by moving to less dense areas like the Black Hills and Jackson Hole. Now we have a mass influx of Coloradoans and Californians coming in. Retirees do almost nothing for the local economy except consume. I hope the Black Hills region grows at a steady healthy rate and does not become a haven for people from larger cities.

[MJ1986]

i see how that could be a bad thing... i never saw that prospective

[Metoo150]

I'll give you some info on Yankton. The population that is shown on the census does not include the lake area population which is around 5000 people. There is Riverside Acres and all the lake dwellers. If you add that to the most current census Yankton would be aroud 18,500 already. The city's population during the week swell to over 20,000 with people comming to yankton to work from smaller towns. Just a little info

[BreaOC]

Originally Posted by Business101

One other thing to really take notice of...Sioux falls metro and Fargo metro.....The 2 largets metropolitan areas in north and south dakota...Watertown is right in the middle of these 2 giants on Interstate 29.......tough to beat that, Watertown is also a straight shot to the twin cities/MINNEAPOLIS

I can agree that the city of Watertown may benefit from being a direct shot west of the Minneapolis metro area (although no interstate or major hwy route between them). However, although I enjoy both Fargo and Sioux Falls, one must realize that neither is a large enough city, including their metro areas, to make an economic or population growth difference to a community between them. Fargo, at an estimated 187,000 and Sioux Falls with 215,000 are not nearly large enough to consider them "giants". They are small metropolitan areas that are focused on their own growth and the growth of the mini-suburbs developing around them (cities with less than 2500 people). Watertown, like many Midwestern cities, is progressing on it's own since large metropolises are too far to benefit substantial growth from. That says a lot for mid western communities. Look at cities around the country with similar populations. Many wouldn't be in existence with out the major cities they are located near.
Omaha (whose metro will easily be over 1 million by 2020) and Kansas City, those you could consider the giants of the 29.
I may get flack for it, but logically it's the truth

[Chris19]

I agree with BreaOC with both Sioux Falls and Fargo metro areas not being giants and are small relative to Omaha, KC, Denver, LA, Raliegh-Durham, and Atlanta. But the two communities along with Omaha and KC and part of the I-29 corridor which is growing with economic activity and prominence (steadily). Most major cities are doing well, but St. Joseph, MO and Sioux City, IA are stagnant due decline in heavy industry and not taking the route of diversifying their economies unlike Sioux Falls, Fargo, Omaha, and KC. Both Sioux Falls and Fargo are major economic engines for their respective states.

Watertown, being in the middle of the two with a straight shot weat from Minneapolis, could not hurt from that and stands to gain. If US 212 was four-laned from Watertown to the Twin Cities, Watertown can really benefit and become a more prominent city in the region and in South Dakota.

Vermillion could do better too with its proximity to the interstate and may be able to capitalize on it more if the refinery is built and gerenates additional jobs, wealth, and commerce in the area.