Minnehaha County, South Dakota

Minnehaha County
Minnehaha County Courthouse in Sioux Falls
Location within the U.S. state of South Dakota
South Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 43°40′2.899″N 96°47′44.613″W / 43.66747194°N 96.79572583°W / 43.66747194; -96.79572583
Country United States
State South Dakota
FoundedApril 5, 1862 (created)
1868 (organized)
Named after"rapid water"
SeatSioux Falls
Largest citySioux Falls
Area
  Total
813.861 sq mi (2,107.89 km2)
  Land806.847 sq mi (2,089.72 km2)
  Water7.014 sq mi (18.17 km2)  0.9%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
197,214
  Estimate 
(2024)
208,639
  Density258.586/sq mi (99.841/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
  Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districtAt-large
Websiteminnehahacounty.gov

Minnehaha County is a county on the eastern border of the state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 197,214, making it the state's most populous county, and was estimated to be 208,639 in 2024. It contains over 22.56% of the state's population. Its county seat is Sioux Falls, South Dakota's most populous city. The county was created on April 5, 1862 and organized in 1868. Its name was derived from the Sioux word Mnihaha, meaning "rapid water," or "waterfall" (often incorrectly translated as "laughing water").

Minnehaha County is part of the Sioux Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, the state's largest.