Cemeteries in South Dakota
Our directory lists 1,722 cemeteries in South Dakota, spread across 66 counties and 106 cities and towns. Identified types include 361 church cemeteries (21%), 152 Lutheran cemeteries (9%) and 79 Catholic cemeteries (5%). Sisseton has the highest number of listings of any city in the state, with 69. The earliest recorded establishment year among South Dakota listings is 1873. 8 listings include a phone number or website.
Featured cemeteries in South Dakota
- Black Hills National Cemetery20901 Pleasant Valley Drive, Sturgis · est. 1948National cemetery
- Mount Pleasant Cemetery2001 East 12th Street, Sioux Falls · est. 1873Cemetery
- South Dakota Veterans Cemetery25965 477th Avenue, Sioux Falls · est. 2021Veterans cemetery
- Woodlawn Cemetery2001 South Cliff Avenue, Sioux FallsCemetery
- Fort Meade National CemeteryOld Stone Road, SturgisNational cemetery
- Graceland Cemetery600 West 23rd Avenue, Mitchell · est. 1882Cemetery
- Akicita Owicahe Lakota Freedom Veterans Cemetery202-35 BIA 2, KyleVeterans cemetery
- New Underwood Cemetery16126 Highway 1416, New UnderwoodChristian cemetery
- Warner Cemetery142nd Avenue, WarnerChristian cemetery
- Conde Methodist Cemetary15350 407th Avenue, CondeMethodist cemetery
- Saint Agnes Cavalry CemeteryPinehurst Avenue, VermillionCatholic cemetery
- St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery501 County Road 6 Southeast, CondeCatholic cemetery
Ranked by how complete the record is (address, contact details, founding year), not by size or popularity.
Cemetery types in South Dakota
Religious cemeteries
Veterans cemeteries
- Black Hills National Cemetery20901 Pleasant Valley Drive, Sturgis, SD · est. 1948National cemetery
- South Dakota Veterans Cemetery25965 477th Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD · est. 2021Veterans cemetery
- Fort Meade National CemeteryOld Stone Road, Sturgis, SDNational cemetery
- Akicita Owicahe Lakota Freedom Veterans Cemetery202-35 BIA 2, Kyle, SDVeterans cemetery
- Hot Springs National CemeteryHot Springs, SDNational cemetery
- Sicangu Akicita Owicahe Veterans Cemetery27404 US 83, White River, SDVeterans cemetery
- Bohemian National CemeteryTyndall, SDNational cemetery
- Fort Sisseton Post CemeteryBritton, SDMilitary cemetery
Historic cemeteries
- Black Hills National Cemetery20901 Pleasant Valley Drive, Sturgis, SD · est. 1948National cemetery
- Mount Pleasant Cemetery2001 East 12th Street, Sioux Falls, SD · est. 1873Cemetery
- Graceland Cemetery600 West 23rd Avenue, Mitchell, SD · est. 1882Cemetery
- Saint Paul CemeteryElk Point, SDChristian cemetery
- Sitting Bulls GraveMobridge, SDCemetery
How South Dakota compares
South Dakota has 18.6 listed cemeteries per 10,000 residents, against 5.3 for the United States, which puts it 7th of 51 states and DC on this measure. Census estimates count 8,723 deaths here in 2024, about 93 for each of the 94 funeral homes we know of (38th of 51 by number of funeral homes).
| Measure | South Dakota | the United States | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cemeteries per 10,000 residents | 18.6 | 5.3 | 7th of 51 |
| Cemeteries per 100 square miles | 2.3 | 5.1 | 38th of 51 |
| Deaths in 2024 (estimate) | 8,723 | 3,086,925 | 46th of 51 |
| Deaths in 2024 per listed cemetery | 5.1 | 17.2 | 49th of 51 |
| Funeral homes | 94 | 21,457 | 38th of 51 |
| Deaths in 2024 per funeral home | 93 | 144 | 48th of 51 |
| Cremation providers | 15 | 3,611 | 43rd of 51 |
| Monument dealers | 13 | 1,091 | 28th of 51 |
| Notable burials | 151 | 68,091 | 45th of 51 |
Population and deaths: US Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates. Land area: 2020 Census Gazetteer. Funeral homes, cremation providers and monument dealers come from our sister directory, Funeral Home Directory USA. Ranks run from the highest value down, among states and DC with the figure available. Compare South Dakota with other places.
Notable people buried in South Dakota
Wikidata records 151 notable people as buried in 63 South Dakota cemeteries. The best documented:
- Theodore Schultz1902-1998American economistBadger Cemetery, Hayti, SD
- Calamity Jane1852-1903American scout and frontierswomanMount Moriah Cemetery, Deadwood, SD
- Gene Amdahl1922-2015American physicistBethania Cemetery, Dell Rapids, SD
- Wild Bill Hickok1837-1876American folk hero and lawmanMount Moriah Cemetery, Deadwood, SD
- Alvin Hansen1887-1975American economistBaptist Cemetery, Lennox, SD
- Floyd Red Crow Westerman1936-2007Native American entertainerSaint Matthew Cemetery, Sisseton, SD
- James Abdnor1923-2012American congressman for South DakotaKennebec Cemetery, Kennebec, SD
- Gladys Pyle1890-1989American politicianRiverside Cemetery, Huron, SD
Cities with the most cemeteries
- Sisseton69
- Webster42
- Mound City42
- Beresford41
- Freeman41
- Milbank40
- Yankton38
- Gettysburg36
- Hayti32
- Huron31
- Clark30
- Watertown29
- Clear Lake29
- Platte29
- Rosebud28
- Olivet28
- De Smet27
- Selby27
- Aberdeen26
- Parkston26
- Vermillion25
- Madison25
- Redfield25
- Howard25
- Bison24
- Porcupine23
- Leola23
- Buffalo23
- Tyndall22
- Brookings20
- Mobridge20
- Volga20
- Lake Andes20
- Plankinton20
- Mitchell19
- Chamberlain19
- Ipswich19
- Winner18
- Salem18
- Wessington Springs18
- Philip18
- Flandreau17
- Lennox17
- Parker17
- Faulkton17
- Armour17
- Kennebec17
- Hot Springs16
- Fort Thompson16
- Britton16
- Martin16
- Sioux Falls15
- Rapid City15
- White River15
- Wagner14
- Groton14
- Timber Lake14
- Sturgis13
- Dell Rapids13
- Gregory13
Cemeteries by county
- Aurora County19
- Beadle County26
- Bennett County14
- Bon Homme County35
- Brookings County35
- Brown County26
- Brule County24
- Buffalo County13
- Butte County13
- Campbell County30
- Charles Mix County43
- Clark County28
- Clay County30
- Codington County32
- Corson County24
- Custer County6
- Davison County17
- Day County42
- Deuel County25
- Dewey County28
- Douglas County21
- Edmunds County27
- Fall River County16
- Faulk County18
- Grant County38
- Gregory County34
- Haakon County14
- Hamlin County29
- Hand County21
- Hanson County17
- Harding County23
- Hughes County11
- Hutchinson County59
- Hyde County7
- Jackson County15
- Jerauld County14
- Jones County5
- Kingsbury County40
- Lake County22
- Lawrence County24
- Lincoln County33
- Lyman County23
- Marshall County27
- McCook County23
- McPherson County42
- Meade County27
- Mellette County28
- Miner County19
- Minnehaha County65
- Moody County24
- Pennington County21
- Perkins County22
- Potter County18
- Roberts County59
- Sanborn County16
- Shannon County38
- Spink County44
- Stanley County7
- Sully County6
- Todd County33
- Tripp County20
- Turner County46
- Union County33
- Walworth County24
- Yankton County49
- Ziebach County10
Frequently asked questions
How many cemeteries are there in South Dakota?
Our directory currently lists 1,722 cemeteries in South Dakota, across 66 counties. The count includes active cemeteries as well as small family and historic burial grounds recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Are there veterans cemeteries in South Dakota?
Yes. We list 11 veterans cemeteries in South Dakota, including national and state veterans cemeteries. Eligible veterans, their spouses and some dependents can be buried in a VA national cemetery at no cost.
How do I find historic cemeteries in South Dakota?
We list 5 cemeteries in South Dakota with a recorded heritage designation, historic tag or establishment year before 1900. County historical societies and the state historic preservation office keep more detailed burial records.
Related guides
- Religious Burial Customs in the USHow Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, Orthodox and Latter-day Saint traditions shape burial, timing and cemetery choice.
- Gravestone Symbols and Their MeaningsWhat willows, lambs, hands, urns, fraternal emblems and Latin abbreviations on American gravestones usually mean, and how styles changed from colonial times to today.
- How Much Does a Cemetery Plot Cost?What drives plot prices in the US, typical ranges by cemetery type and region, and the fees that come on top of the plot itself.
- What Is a Veterans Cemetery?National, state and post cemeteries explained, what they provide, and how they differ from a veterans section.