While many South Dakotans leave rural areas, many are returning home

AI-assisted summary

While South Dakota's rural areas have experienced population decline, a cyclical migration pattern shows many return after time in urban areas.

Smaller household sizes and the "brain gain" phenomenon, where young people leave for education and opportunities, contribute to rural population fluctuations.

Many return to rural areas for a slower pace of life, family proximity, and a strong sense of community.

South Dakota's rural areas have seen a net loss of population over the past three decades, though many of those people who left for cities like Sioux Falls and Rapid City also return to the small towns where they grew up, according to demographic trends.

South Dakota still has more than half its population living in rural areas. However, the U.S. Census Bureau has