Meade County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,852. Its county seat is Sturgis. The county was created in 1889 and named for Fort Meade, which was garrisoned as a United States military post in the area in 1878 and itself named for General George Meade. Meade County is part of the Rapid City Metropolitan Statistical Area.