South Dakota

Pennington

109,222
2020 population
1880
first census record
15
census records

About Pennington

Pennington, South Dakota, first appears in the United States federal census in 1880, when it recorded a population of 2,244. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 109,222.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 8 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Black Hills Expedition Skirmish 1874, Black Hills Gold Rush Skirmishes 1875–1876, Great Sioux War — Black Hills Negotiations Failure 1875, and 64 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020109,222
2010100,948
200088,565
199081,343
198070,361
197059,349
196058,195
195034,053
194023,799
193020,079
192012,720
191012,453
19005,610
18906,540
18802,244
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Pennington

Military engagements that took place in Pennington, South Dakota.

Black Hills Expedition Skirmish 1874
1874
Black Hills Gold Rush Skirmishes 1875–1876
1875
Great Sioux War — Black Hills Negotiations Failure 1875
1875
Black Hills Sioux Defense 1875
1875
Battle of Slim Buttes supplemental — Crook's Starvation March
1876
Great Sioux War — Fort Laramie Treaty Violations
1876
Stronghold Table Standoff 1890
1890
Battle of Stronghold Table
1890

Historic places in Pennington

National Register of Historic Places listings in Pennington, South Dakota.

Cassidy House
Rapid City
Gramberg Ranch
Hermosa
Rapid City Fruit Company
Rapid City
Rapid City Carnegie Library
Rapid City
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Rapid City
Dinosaur Park
Rapid City
Pennington County Courthouse
Rapid City
Calumet Hotel
Wasta
Sitting Bull Crystal Cavern Dance Pavilion
Rockerville
Rapid City Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Rapid City
Civilian Conservation Corp Camp F-10
Rapid City
Burlington and Quincy High Line Hill City to Keystone Branch
Hill City
Rapid City High School
Rapid City
Gambrill Storage Building
Rapid City
Milwaukee Road Freight House
Rapid City
Rapid City Historic Commercial District
Rapid City
Chapel in the Hills
Rapid City
Church of the Immaculate Conception
Rapid City
Browse all South Dakotahistoric sites ›

Other counties in South Dakota

Explore census history and historic records for more South Dakota counties.

SchnasseScobeyShannonSisseton and Wahpeton ReservationSpinkStanding Rock ReservationStanleySterlingSullyToddTrippTurnerUnionWalworthWashabaughWashingtonYanktonZiebachArmstrongAurora
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Everything a full report reveals about Pennington County, South Dakota

This page charts the census history of Pennington County, South Dakota. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Explore South Dakota records

South Dakotahistory ›NRHP historic sites ›Notable people from South Dakota›

Frequently asked about Pennington

When does Pennington first appear in the US census?
Pennington, South Dakota first appears in the federal census in 1880, with a recorded population of 2,244.
What is the population of Pennington?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Pennington had a recorded population of 109,222.
Were any battles fought in Pennington?
8 documented military engagements took place in Pennington, including Black Hills Expedition Skirmish 1874, Black Hills Gold Rush Skirmishes 1875–1876, Great Sioux War — Black Hills Negotiations Failure 1875.
How many historic places are in Pennington?
64 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennington, South Dakota.
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