County GIS · State lines · October 20, 2026
Minnesota–South Dakota Border Counties and Their Parcel Maps
All 13 counties on the Minnesota–South Dakota line, with seats, populations and each official parcel map, plus what changes at the line.
Looking for the counties on the Minnesota–South Dakota border and their parcel maps? According to the Census Bureau's county adjacency file, 7 Minnesota counties touch 6 South Dakota counties along the line. Each one keeps its own property records and its own parcel viewer, so land near the line often means checking two counties in two states.
Below you will find every county on both sides of the line, who borders whom, and what changes when you cross from one records office to the other.
Minnesota–South Dakota border at a glance
- Counties on the line: 13 (7 in Minnesota, 6 in South Dakota)
- With a verified public parcel viewer in our directory: 12 of 13
- Residents, 2023 estimates: about 48,655 on the Minnesota side and 271,473 on the South Dakota side
- Most populous on each side: Rock County, MN (9,551) and Minnehaha County, SD (206,930)
- Largest by land area: Lac qui Parle County, MN (765 sq mi) and Roberts County, SD (1,101 sq mi)
Minnesota counties on the line
| County | Seat | Land (sq mi) | 2023 pop. | Parcel viewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Stone County | Ortonville | 499 | 5,105 | ArcGIS Web AppBuilder |
| Lac qui Parle County | Madison | 765 | 6,630 | listed link under review |
| Lincoln County | Ivanhoe | 537 | 5,521 | ArcGIS Web AppBuilder |
| Pipestone County | Pipestone | 465 | 9,245 | county web map |
| Rock County | Luverne | 482 | 9,551 | Beacon (Schneider Geospatial) |
| Traverse County | Wheaton | 574 | 3,136 | ArcGIS Web AppBuilder |
| Yellow Medicine County | Granite Falls | 759 | 9,467 | ArcGIS Web AppBuilder |
South Dakota counties on the line
| County | Seat | Land (sq mi) | 2023 pop. | Parcel viewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookings County | Brookings | 792 | 35,980 | Beacon (Schneider Geospatial) |
| Deuel County | Clear Lake | 623 | 4,354 | planning-district WebGIS |
| Grant County | Milbank | 681 | 7,553 | planning-district WebGIS |
| Minnehaha County | Sioux Falls | 807 | 206,930 | Beacon (Schneider Geospatial) |
| Moody County | Flandreau | 519 | 6,450 | Beacon (Schneider Geospatial) |
| Roberts County | Sisseton | 1,101 | 10,206 | planning-district WebGIS |
Which counties face each other
The Census adjacency file pairs counties that share a boundary. Use it to find the county across the line from the one you know:
- Big Stone County, MN borders Grant County, SD, Roberts County, SD
- Lac qui Parle County, MN borders Deuel County, SD, Grant County, SD
- Lincoln County, MN borders Brookings County, SD, Deuel County, SD, Moody County, SD
- Pipestone County, MN borders Brookings County, SD, Minnehaha County, SD, Moody County, SD
- Rock County, MN borders Minnehaha County, SD, Moody County, SD
- Traverse County, MN borders Roberts County, SD
- Yellow Medicine County, MN borders Deuel County, SD
What changes when you cross the line
- Different viewers. On the Minnesota side the official maps run on: ArcGIS Web AppBuilder (4); listed link under review (1); county web map (1); Beacon (Schneider Geospatial) (1). On the South Dakota side: Beacon (Schneider Geospatial) (3); planning-district WebGIS (3). Search boxes, parcel ID formats and the details shown in pop-ups will differ.
- Different records offices. Deeds, plats and tax bills are kept by the county where the parcel sits.
- Different rules. Zoning, septic permits and property tax are set locally and by each state, so check with the county on the side where you plan to build or buy.
Researching a tract that crosses the line
- Find the parcel in both counties' viewers. Each side will show only its own piece, with its own parcel number.
- Pull the recorded deed from each county's register or recorder, since each county records only the land inside its own boundary.
- Expect two tax bills, one from each county, and check each state's rules for homestead or farm exemptions.
- For a sale, a fence or a building permit, hire a licensed surveyor familiar with the line; tax-map lines are drawings, not surveys.
A quick way to check which side a spot is on
Open the Platbookmapper Land Map, search the nearest county, and tap the spot. The land report shows which county it falls in, along with flood zone, elevation, soil and wetlands, and links to that county's parcel map.
Related guides
More: Minnesota counties · South Dakota counties
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file, used for which counties share the line.
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer files, 2020 county land area.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals, Vintage 2023 (July 1, 2023 estimates)
- Platbookmapper county GIS directory (live data file behind our county pages, pulled October 20, 2026) for each county's official parcel viewer.
- County seats: Wikidata (county seat property), cross-checked against Census place names.