THE DIRTBID REGIONAL MODEL · SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota Sitework Costs, Region by Region

Sitework in South Dakota on the same Richmond Metro = 1.00 scale as the rest of DirtBid: 4 cost regions and 66 counties, each with a soil-risk rating from USDA and USGS data. Sioux Falls Metro runs highest at 0.87×; Sioux City Metro (South Dakota side) lowest at 0.81×.

South Dakota multipliers and county ratings are planning-level: built from federal price and soil data, and not yet checked against local bids or a local estimator.

Cost regions
4
Counties in the model
66
Richmond Metro baseline
1.00×

Rest of South Dakota

0.84×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Clarno, Houdek, Ethan

58 counties in this region. 19 of 58 rate high for water table. 18 of 58 rate high for shallow rock. Deep frost protection is likely in 11 of 58. Highest risk score: Brookings County (6 of 10).

Counties: Aurora County, Beadle County, Bennett County, Bon Homme County, Brookings County, Brown County, Brule County, Buffalo County, Butte County, Campbell County, Charles Mix County, Clark County, Clay County, Codington County, Corson County, Davison County, Day County, Deuel County, Dewey County, Douglas County, Edmunds County, Fall River County, Faulk County, Grant County, Gregory County, Haakon County, Hamlin County, Hand County, Hanson County, Harding County, Hughes County, Hutchinson County, Hyde County, Jackson County, Jerauld County, Jones County, Kingsbury County, Lake County, Lawrence County, Lyman County, McPherson County, Marshall County, Mellette County, Miner County, Moody County, Oglala Lakota County, Perkins County, Potter County, Roberts County, Sanborn County, Spink County, Stanley County, Sully County, Todd County, Tripp County, Walworth County, Yankton County, Ziebach County

Sioux Falls Metro

0.87×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Egan, Clarno, Wentworth

4 counties in this region. 2 of 4 rate high for water table. 2 of 4 rate high for dewatering. Highest risk score: Lincoln County (5 of 10).

Counties: Lincoln County, McCook County, Minnehaha County, Turner County

Rapid City Metro

0.85×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Nunn, Samsil, Pierre

3 counties in this region. 3 of 3 rate high for shallow rock. 2 of 3 rate high for shrink-swell clay. Highest risk score: Meade County (5 of 10).

Counties: Custer County, Meade County, Pennington County

Sioux City Metro (South Dakota side)

0.81×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Crofton, Alcester, Moody

1 county in this region. 1 of 1 rate high for water table. Highest risk score: Union County (5 of 10). This multiplier sits outside the range the model was tested on, so treat it as rougher.

Counties: Union County

FAQ

South Dakota Cost Questions

Which soil problems drive sitework cost in South Dakota?

From USDA soil survey data, the most common across the state: water table (22 of 66 counties rate high), shallow rock (21 of 66 counties rate high), shrink-swell clay (16 of 66 counties rate high). A parcel can differ from its county, so read the survey for your exact site.

Where do the South Dakota multipliers come from?

From the Commerce Department's Regional Price Parities, on the same Richmond Metro = 1.00 scale as Virginia. Across 29 reviewed regions that method missed by about 0.03 on average. They have not been checked against executed bids in South Dakota, so use them for planning, not a final bid.

How reliable are the South Dakota county ratings?

They are screening ratings from federal soil and geology data, not a local estimator's review and not a geotechnical report. Tested against 511 reviewed counties, they land within one level most of the time, and exact matches are less common. Get borings before you price a real site.

Soil Report

See what's under your South Dakota parcel

A $350 DirtBid AI Soil Report reads the official USDA survey for your exact parcel, flags the hazards above, and prices the risk — before you buy land or sign a contract.

Get a Soil Report — $350 See pricing