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  "description": "Pierre's population is 14,000. Is that the smallest in the country?",
  "path": "/south-dakota-pierre-smallest-capital-city-united-states/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-19T11:00:33.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.sdnewswatch.org",
  "tags": [
    "__this one.__",
    "_The 10 smallest state capitols in the United States_",
    "_Distance.to_",
    "_Anchorage to Juneau_",
    "_No Road to Road_",
    "_HistoricPierreFortPierre.com_",
    "_South Dakota State Capitol_",
    "_A Capital Fight_",
    "South Dakota News Watch Quiz - GigafactGigafact",
    "_South Dakota News Watch_",
    "_Gigafact_",
    "_Read previous fact briefs_",
    "_best practices policies_",
    "_South Dakota News Watch Tipline_",
    "Share your thoughts on this story",
    "__sdnewswatch.org__",
    "__sign up for an email__"
  ],
  "textContent": "## No.\n\nThe state capital of South Dakota – Pierre – has the second-smallest population of any capital in the United States.\n\nThe smallest capital in the country is Montpelier, Vermont, with a population of about 8,000. Pierre’s population is about 14,000, a few thousand people fewer than Augusta, Maine, at about 19,000.\n\nOf all the state capitals, Juneau, Alaska, is the most remote. There are no roads connecting the city to the rest of the state, so visitors must travel by boat or plane. Juneau is also 560 miles away from the state’s largest city, Anchorage.\n\nThe South Dakota Capitol in Pierre was completed in 1910 after the city won three elections to be the temporary and later permanent capital.\n\nYankton was Dakota Territory’s first capital in 1862. After statehood, several cities including Huron, Sioux Falls, Watertown and Mitchell vied for capital status, but Pierre eventually won out.\n\n_This fact brief responds to conversations such as_ __this one.__\n\n_The story was corrected on Feb. 19, 2026, to clarify the perspective to Augusta, Maine._\n\n### Sources\n\nWorld Atlas, _The 10 smallest state capitols in the United States_\n\n _Distance.to_, _Anchorage to Juneau_\n\nSoutheast Alaska Conservation Council, _No Road to Road_\n\n _HistoricPierreFortPierre.com_, _South Dakota State Capitol_\n\nHistory.sd.gov, _A Capital Fight_\n\n South Dakota News Watch Quiz - GigafactGigafact\n\n* * *\n\n _South Dakota News Watch_ partners with _Gigafact_ to publish fact briefs that refute or confirm a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context.\n\n  * _Read previous fact briefs_.\n  * Read our verification standards and other _best practices policies_.\n  * Submit a question for us to answer on the _South Dakota News Watch Tipline_.\n  * Send questions or feedback to _factbrief@sdnewswatch.org_.\n\n\n\nShare your thoughts on this story\n\n _This story was produced by**South Dakota News Watch** , an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at ___sdnewswatch.org__ _and_ __sign up for an email__ _to get stories when they're published.**Contact Michael Klinski** at michael.klinski@sdnewswatch.org._",
  "title": "Fact brief: Does South Dakota have the smallest state capital city?",
  "updatedAt": "2026-02-23T20:36:50.187Z"
}