South Dakota spending, because of the proximity of many tourist attractions in the Black Hills and Ellsworth Air Force Base. The next eight largest cities in the state, in order of descending 2010 population, are Aberdeen (26,091), Brookings (22,056), Watertown (21,482), Mitchell (15,254), Yankton (14,454), Pierre (13,646), Huron (12,592), and Vermillion (10,571). Pierre is the state capital, and Brookings and Vermillion are the locations of the state's two largest universities (South Dakota State University and University of South Dakota, respectively). With a population of about 14,000, Pierre is the second smallest state capital in the United States. Of the ten largest cities
South Dakota Highway 36 in 1926. At that time, it continued further west to the Wyoming border, utilizing the current route of US 16A to Custer, and U.S. Route 16 west of Custer; US 16 went northwest from Rapid City. The western terminus was pulled back to its present location around 1935, when US 16 was rerouted southwest through the Black Hills. In 1933 and 1934, this route was also part of U.S. Route 216, which then continued north to Rapid City. South Dakota Highway 36 South Dakota Highway 36 (SD 36) is an east–west state route located in southwest South Dakota. It begins